from the date designated by the cabinet order within three years from the date of promulgation.

Remembering such provisions will be enforced in July 2012, the Immigration Bureau requested public comments on the specifications of residence cards etc. in July 2010. And now, the bureau is advancing the consideration on issues including details of necessary governmental and ministerial ordinances and how to perform operations. In line with the advance of review, the bureau has also discussed with relevant ministries and local governments on how to associate with each other under the new system, while preparing system development.

The Immigration Bureau has also prepared and distributed leaflets to introduce the details of the revised Ordinance for Enforcement of the Immigration Control Act. Additionally, the bureau has provided further information on the revised contents on its website and updated the contents to fit to the current circumstance in concert with the progress of preparation of enforcement of those provisions. In addition, after the promulgation of the revised Immigration Control Act, the bureau held briefing sessions for embassies in Tokyo. Moreover, the Immigration Bureau will strive to implement aggressive campaigns until the provisions are enforced.

## 2 Smooth Transition to the Basic Residents' Register System for Foreign Residents

## (1) Cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and Local Government, and Provision of Information to Them

The bureau sends staff including the Director of the Registration Division to meetings of the "Study Group on Transition to the Basic Residents' Registration System for Foreign Residents" (http://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/kenkyu/daityo_ikou/index.html) organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to discuss various practical issues on the law which are supposed to be enforced within three years from the date of promulgation. In FY 2010, the Immigration Bureau reviewed issues including system-coordinated interface specifications to promote information linkage between the Ministry of Justice and municipalities as well as clerical duties occurring in municipalities on issuance of special permanent resident certificates. The bureau also provides relevant information through its website and other means. In addition, the bureau has prepared for the transition to the new system in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and governments by, for example, providing information transition to the new system at meetings including in the Municipal Representative Conference on Foreign Registration Services.

## (2) Measures to Ensure Accurate Registration

In preparation for implementation of the Basic Residents' Registration System for foreign residents, provisional residence cards shall be made for foreign nationals who have been registered in registration cards and who are anticipated to fall under foreign residents residing in the relevant municipalities on the reference date before implementation, and such provisional resident cards shall be used as authoritative resident cards on the implementation date. Because these provisional resident cards are prepared based on information including matters contained