Silviase/jgov_v1.4_full_ann huggingface dataset:
related ministries, the Cabinet Secretariat set up the Airports/Ports Crisis Management Team, consisting of the director-level staff from ministerial headquarters, on January 16, 2004. The Immigration Bureau also participates in the Inter-Ministerial Meeting and the Crisis Management Team. In addition, crisis management officers are assigned to the major airports and seaports in Japan in order to secure coherency in immigration control tasks among the relevant ministries at the ministerial headquarters level and at the field level.

## Section 3 — Reinforcing Measures against Forged or Altered Documents

## 1 Current Circumstances of the Use of Forged or Altered Passports and Other Documents

There is an increasing trend to be seen of foreign nationals entering Japan using forged or altered passports, and the seriousness of this problem cannot be disregarded since, in particular, this is a means that is frequently used by international organized crime groups for the purpose of secretly committing such serious crimes as human trafficking or terrorist acts.

In recent years, forged or altered documents used in the immigration procedures have become increasingly more elaborate and sophisticated. These documents are produced in various ways such as simply changing the holder's photograph or entering false information on the holder's identity. Some foreign nationals also obtain genuine passports for themselves by dishonest means such as pretending to be someone else or by using a genuine passport where the holder has a similar face, though these cases are not regarded as forgery or alteration of passports in a strict sense. Most foreign nationals who intend to enter Japan using such forged or altered documents or dishonest means aim to work illegally in Japan, and some of them may have been exploited by terrorists or international organized crime groups. From the point of view of ensuring public security, it is urgently required in immigration control to establish a strong and solid system to detect such forgery or alteration of documents at the border and to prevent suspect persons, without fail, from coming into Japan.
## 2 Establishment of Document Examination Offices and Sections

In order to reinforce the measures against forged or altered documents used in the immigration procedures, the Immigration Bureau established a document examination office in the Narita Airport District Immigration Office of the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau in April 1999, in the Kansai Airport District Immigration Office of the Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau in April 2000, and in the Chubu Airport District Immigration Office of the Nagoya Regional Immigration Bureau in February 2005. At these new offices, the Immigration Bureau examines passports and other documents used in the immigration procedures of airports and seaports in Japan, provides training on document examination for immigration inspectors and immigration control officers, and analyzes and prepares data on detected forged or altered documents.

## 3 Increase in the Number of Personnel Specializing in Examination of Forged or Altered Documents and Introduction of Forged or Altered Document Examination Devices

In FY 2001, high-performance forged or altered document examination devices were installed at the major airports and seaports in Japan. These new devices can enlarge the size of letters at a magnification of more than ten times as large as that of previous devices, and they have high-performance equipment such as a lighting system that shows a perceivable system reaction toward forged or altered documents. These devices, which have been installed not only at major airports and seaports but also at local airports, have dramatically increased the precision of document examination and have helped achieve more stringent immigration control. In FY 2003, lighter, more compact document examination devices were installed in airports and seaports all over Japan in order to promptly examine documents at the immigration booths.

In order to reinforce the system of examining forged or altered documents, it is of utmost importance to not only install high-performance devices but also to improve the document examination ability of each personnel member of the Immigration Bureau. With the aim of improving such ability, the Immigration Bureau has provided training on general knowledge and skills of document examination for all personnel of the Immigration Bureau as well as training on advanced knowledge and skills of document examination for personnel in charge of document examination.
## 4 Effects of the Measures against Forged or Altered Documents

As a result of these measures taken by the Immigration Bureau to improve the quality of devices, the number of cases in which forged or altered documents were detected stood at 2,688 in 2004, showing a decrease from the 2003 level, which had seen a sharp rise a year earlier. However, the number has seen an overall increase from the year 2000, increasing by 605, up 29% from 2,083. As Japan has an income gap with its neighboring nations, a large number of foreign nationals will probably continue to attempt illegal entry into Japan using forged or altered documents. Since human trafficking brokers at home and abroad are sending illegal immigrants to Japan for profit purposes, the techniques for illegally entering Japan will most likely become even more elaborate and sophisticated in the future. (Table 46)

However, document examination devices alone do not provide an effective solution to the problem of document forgery techniques that have become more elaborate and sophisticated as the result of stronger measures against forged and altered documents or to attempts to enter Japan pretending to be another person who has a similar face to match the photograph in the passport or by obtaining passports through official procedures under a different person's name. If illegal immigrants use these techniques, it is difficult to identify the foreign nationals who are attempting to illegally enter Japan and therefore, in order to exclude these illegal immigrants without fail, it is vital for the use of biometrics to be employed in the future.

Table46 Changes in the number of cases of detection of forged and altered documents

(Cases)

2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Landing	Passport	867	1,331	1,402	1,561	1,011
Others	1,011	1,226	985	1,856	1,547
Total	1,878	2,557	2,387	3,417	2,558
Departure	Passport	88	114	139	142	77
Others	117	64	68	101	53
Total	205	178	207	243	130
Total	Passport	955	1,445	1,541	1,703	1,088
Others	1,128	1,290	1,053	1,957	1,600
Total	2,083	2,735	2,594	3,660	2,688
## Section 4 — Consideration of the Introduction of Biometrics

## Purpose

Biometrics is the technology of checking a person’s physiological and behavioral features against registered information, thereby identifying the person. IT-related companies throughout the world are working on research and development of various methods using facial patterns, fingerprints, iris patterns, signatures and voice patterns. The purpose of introducing biometrics to entry examinations is to have, in addition to the identification data at the landing examinations, a means of checking foreign nationals against biometrics information to prevent those who use forged or altered passports, terrorists, criminals on international wanted lists, and foreign nationals of suspicious character (e.g., those who have previously been deported from Japan) from entering Japan, in order to effectively and efficiently implement counter-terrorism and public security measures as well as measures against illegal employment of foreign nationals.

## Background

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has been working on the international standardization of biometrics in passports and other travel documents in order to deal with advanced forgery and alteration technology, the rapid rise in the number of identity theft cases, and terrorist threats. On its website, ICAO discloses the technical specifications on how to record and read biometrics information. In accordance with the ICAO standards, Australia started issuing IC passports in December 2004, while the US and New Zealand are also planning to issue IC passwords by the end of 2005. The EU (European Union) chose fingerprint and facial patterns as the biometric information to be recorded in IC passports. The introduction of this technology has also been discussed at other international conferences such as the G8 summit and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Conference.

The Japanese government, with the objective of “promoting the use of IC passports”, has decided to introduce IC passports based on international standards and to strengthen immigration control with the use of IC passports. In May 2004, the government set up the Inter-Ministerial Liaison Council, which is presided over by the Cabinet Secretariat, and commenced its efforts to provide safer and smoother airport immigration control procedures. From February to May 2005, the ministries concerned jointly conducted an
“e-Passport” demonstration experiment at Narita Airport. With regard to foreign nationals, the government is making necessary preparations to collect foreign nationals’ facial portraits and fingerprints at landing examinations in accordance with the “Action Plan for Preventing Terrorism” dated December 2004.

## 3 Efforts by the Immigration Bureau

To collect foreign nationals' fingerprints and other information at landing examinations, the Immigration Bureau is presently conducting a study on a legislative bill to amend the Immigration Control Act and is planning to submit it to the Ordinary Session of the Diet in 2006. Aiming at developing and introducing devices compatible with biometrics passports, the Immigration Bureau is planning to introduce necessary devices within FY 2005 based on the research studies and trials of FY 2004. Paying attention to the trends of introducing IC passports at home and abroad, the Immigration Bureau is also making efforts to develop a new system that detects forged and altered passports and correctly and quickly confirms the identity of the passport holder. It is also necessary for the Immigration Bureau to make necessary preparations to deploy automated gates (Immigration Automated Clearance System) that automatically handle airport immigration procedures, mainly for Japanese travelers, through the use of IC cards with multiple biometrics data.

In the immigration examination process that employs biometrics data, the Immigration Bureau will closely work with the ministries concerned, and effectively use data on terrorism and crimes to further strengthen Japan’s immigration control procedures.

## Section 5 — Computerization of Immigration Control Administration

## 1 Introduction of the Foreigners Entry and Departure Information System (FEIS)

The online computer system for immigration control work consists of integrated systems such as the immigration examination general management system, the status of residence examination support system, and the deportation procedures support system. The online system is operated by providing it with additional functions to connect these integrated systems.
systems with one another every time each of these systems is developed and implemented. Recently, the databases in the existing systems have been integrated into a uniform database as the Foreigners Entry and Departure Information System (FEIS), and computer devices installed at airports and seaports have been upgraded as appropriate. In FY 2003, the Immigration Bureau commenced use of FEIS sticker-type landing permission stamps for foreign nationals who acquired landing permission in the immigration procedures of airports or seaports. In January 2004, immediate acquisition of information on embarkation and disembarkation $ ^{*} $ was started.

In FY 2004, the Immigration Bureau upgraded the status of residence examination support system and the deportation procedures support system and connected them to the FEIS database. These measures have enabled a data search from all of the systems and have established a centralized recording system covering the entire process from entry to departure, thereby increasing the accuracy and efficiency of immigration work. The conventional stamps in the status of residence examination procedures (e.g., changing the status of residence) and the deportation procedures were replaced with new sticker-type stamps, which look similar to the landing permission stamp.

* Machine readable passports (MRPs): With the use of devices such as readers, information on foreign nationals' entry and departure and their identification information can be immediately obtained from these passports and utilized for information analysis.

## 2 Consideration of Introduction of Electronic Application Procedures

In computerizing the entry examination procedures and the status of residence permission procedures, the Immigration Bureau will first introduce an e-application process for the most feasible procedures, paying attention to consistency with conventional paperwork. The Immigration Bureau will work out a timeline for introducing online application services.
## Section 6 — Efforts to Halve the Number of Illegal Residents

## 1 Action Plan for the Realization of a Society Resistant to Crime

Aiming at restoring Japan to the position of the “safest nation in the world” and taking active, comprehensive measures to recover public safety, the Ministerial Meeting Concerning Measures against Crimes formulated the “Action Plan for the Realization of a Society Resistant to Crime” on December 18, 2003.

According to this action plan, the government will aim at halving the number of illegal foreign residents, some of whom are potential criminals, in the next five years up until 2008 to ensure public safety. Also with a view to eliminating unreasonable suspicion toward the many foreign nationals who are staying in Japan peacefully and legally, the Immigration Bureau will promote various measures such as “tightening monitoring and controls at the border”, “taking measures against foreign nationals who illegally enter and stay in Japan”, and “reinforcing cooperation with foreign counterparts”. Namely, the Immigration Bureau will actively strive to implement stricter examination of the status of residence on entry, strengthen detection of illegal residents and increase efficiency in the deportation procedures, and will request foreign countries to exercise stricter control over their nationals who have been deported from Japan. Aiming at reinforcement of the immigration control procedures and a significant reduction in the number of illegal foreign residents, the Immigration Bureau will also promote measures to reinforce the immigration control system by increasing the number of immigration control officers and immigration inspectors and by upgrading the facilities for detention, devices and equipment.

## 2 Promoting Comprehensive Efforts to Halve the Number of Illegal Residents

As Japan has a higher income level than its neighboring nations, many foreign nationals have been entering Japan from these neighboring nations, intending to work illegally in Japan. The number of overstayers has been decreasing since 1993, but the number is still high at some 207,000 as of January 1, 2005, still remaining at a high level. In addition, about 30,000 foreign nationals are estimated to be residing secretly in Japan as stowaways after having entered Japan with the help of brokers. Aiming to halve the number of these illegal foreign residents in the five-year period from 2004 to 2008, and prevent illegal foreign residents from “staying in Japan”, the Immigration Bureau has been working closely with
the police and other agencies concerned to jointly detect illegal foreign residents, and has been making efforts to promptly deport illegal foreign residents through active negotiations with the countries of origin on deportation and passport issuance. To prevent illegal foreign workers from “coming to Japan”, the Immigration Bureau strictly examines foreign nationals applying for status of residence, and also requests foreign countries to effectively prevent its nationals from leaving for Japan if many of the nationals of that country are working illegally in Japan. To counter those foreign nationals intending to illegally stay in Japan who pass themselves off as tourists, the Immigration Bureau has been tightening landing examinations and reinforcing the examination of forged or altered passports in order to prevent these fake tourists from “landing in Japan”. To meet the recent strong social needs for restoring public safety, the bureau has been working with the agencies concerned to address the problem of illegal immigrants in accordance with the three principles: preventing illegal immigrants from “coming to”, “landing in” and “staying in” Japan.
# Chapter 4

# Entry and Residence Control of Foreign Nationals

## Section 1 — Measures to Promote Tourism in Japan

## 1 Tourism Promotion Action Plan

Prime Minister Koizumi set a target of doubling the number of foreign tourists to Japan, from the present approximate 5 million a year to more than 10 million by 2010, in a speech on his administrative policies at the 156th session of the Diet

Following the speech, the Cabinet adopted the Action Plan to Realize Japan as a Country Built on Tourism with a view to developing close cooperation among the administrative agencies concerned and of promoting effective and comprehensive measures to make Japan a country built on tourism.

The Action Plan to Realize Japan as a Country Built on Tourism proposes measures including immigration procedures, such as visa exemption for students on school excursions from R. O. Korea, improvement in the operation of group tour programs for Chinese nationals coming to Japan and area coverage of the system, and acceleration of the immigration procedures through introduction of the Advance Passengers Information System (APIS).

Visa exemption was started on March 1, 2004 for students on school excursions from R.O. Korea. Such students who have valid passports issued by the government of R.O. Korea and who wish to enter Japan with the intention of staying for a period not exceeding 30 days do not have to obtain a visa. (Since April 12, 2004, the visa exemption has also become applicable to people who accompany such students.)

With respect to the group tour system for Chinese nationals coming to Japan, the Immigration Bureau has been providing group tour visas only to residents in two province-level cities (Beijing and Shanghai) and Guangdong Province since September 2000. Since then, the Immigration Bureau has been working toward ensuring sound operation of the system in cooperation with the ministries and agencies concerned as well as its Chinese counterparts, while dealing with various problems including the disappearance of Chinese nationals in Japan. As a result of the Japan-China consular-level negotiations on how to improve operations and expand area coverage of the program, residents in four provinces (Jiansu, Zhejiang, Shandong and Liaoning) and a province-level city (Tianjin City) have also
become entitled to visas for this group tour system since September 15, 2004.

## 2 Measures for Smoother but Stricter Immigration Examination

It is necessary for the Immigration Bureau to provide smoother immigration procedures for the great majority of trouble-free foreign visitors who come to Japan, while imposing stricter immigration control procedures to prevent foreign visitors from entering Japan if they intend to illegally work. Since more and more foreign people will visit Japan in the future as a result of Japan’s efforts in various areas, the immigration control authorities must satisfy two seemingly incompatible objectives: smoother but stricter immigration control procedures.

To this end, the Immigration Bureau provides stricter landing examination procedures by analyzing the data of statuses of residence and by identifying the countries from where many overstayers originate. At Narita Airport and Kansai Airport, the bureau has set up a special task force consisting of immigration officers skilled in document analysis and the oral proceedings of landing examinations. The bureau sends them to local airports, when necessary, to effectively enhance the immigration control procedures at local airports by passing on the know-how of employing advanced technology and skills in detecting forged or altered documents, which are used in the large airports. In addition, the bureau commenced use of the secondary examination system and pre-clearance system in FY 2005.

## 3 Visa Exemption

Visa systems may differ from one country to another in terms of procedures and formats. Each nation has a visa system as part of its immigration procedures. In order to promote human exchange, many countries have mutually agreed to exempt temporary foreign visitors from the requirement of obtaining a visa if they are visiting for sightseeing, business, or family visit purposes. Visas are required for the landing examination in accordance with the Immigration Control Act, but the Act also provides that a visa is not necessary for foreign nationals if they are permitted to visit Japan without a visa based on an international agreement or on the Japanese government's notification to their home country.

In Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in charge of issuing or waiving visas. The Japanese government has mutually agreed with many foreign governments to introduce a
mutual visa waiver program. Generally speaking, the following foreign visitors do not need a visa: transit visitors not intending to conduct commercial activities; sightseeing visitors; foreign visitors intending to call on relatives; amateur sports participants; and temporary foreign visitors for business communication, contract signing, market surveys or after-sales service purposes. However, the visa exemption program does not apply to foreign nationals intending to work in Japan. If foreign nationals visit Japan without a visa, they are allowed to stay in Japan for a maximum period of 90 days.

In April 2004, Japan started visa exemption programs applicable to the nationals of the following countries or regions: students on school excursions from China (effective from September 1, 2004); R. O. Korea (effective from March 1 to September 30, 2005); Taiwan (effective from March 11 to September 25, 2005); and residents from the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) (effective from March 25, 2005). In addition, the visa exemption program has applied to Bulgarian passport holders and Vietnamese diplomatic or official passport holders since May 1, 2005.

## 4 Actions Relating to the 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan

(1) Measures to Smoothly Accept People Involved in the Exposition.

The 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan (EXPO 2005), held from March 25 to September 25, 2005 involved a variety of staff, such as clerical staff participating in the country’s headquarters, architectural engineers and attendants at the pavilions. Some EXPO staff were not covered by an existing status of residence or the “Temporary Visitor” status of residence, which covers only short-term commercial activities. Since EXPO 2005 was an international exhibition of a highly public nature and only involved activities with limited purposes for a certain period of time, the Immigration Bureau decided to comprehensively define the activities permitted for EXPO 2005 staff. On June 30, 2004, the Ministry of Justice revised its Ordinance on the “Designated Activities” status of residence, thereby achieving smooth acceptance of the people involved in the exhibition from the preparation stage.

(2) Preferential Treatment for Landing Permission Procedures in the “Law on Promoting Foreign Tourists’ Visits to the 2005 EXPO, Aichi, Japan”

In order to attract more foreign tourists to EXPO 2005, it was necessary for Japan to take necessary measures at the central and local government levels and to provide foreign applicants with preferential treatment in their landing application procedures,