Silviase/jgov_v1.4_full_ann huggingface dataset:
### Chapter 4. Measures against Illegal or Imposter Foreign Residents in Japan

## Section 1 ◆ Implementation of Measures against Illegal Foreign Residents

## 1 Past Efforts to Reduce the Number of Illegal Foreign Residents

Based on the "Five-Year to Reduce the Number of Illegal Foreign Residents by Half" launched in 2004, each regional immigration bureau has actively promoted various measures, including strict implementation of landing/residence examinations, proactive public relations activities regarding illegal employment, strengthened detection by detection officer units, etc., wider application of custody transfer in accordance with Article 65 of the Immigration Control Act, and the encouragement of the appearances of illegal foreign residents under the departure order system. As a result, the number of illegal foreign residents, which was about 250,000 at the start of the plan, decreased to about 130,000 as of January 2009, and its goal was almost accomplished.

Based on the “Action Plan 2008 for the Realization of a Society Resistant to Crime” aiming to “create a society that generates no illegal foreign residents under the new residency management system”, the Immigration Bureau has continued efforts to further reduce the number of overstayers, which decreased to approximately 62,000 as of January 1, 2013.

## ② Efforts to Further Reduce the Number of Illegal Foreign Residents

The Immigration Bureau recognizes that the number of illegal foreign residents in Japan has steadily decreased due to past efforts. However, it is estimated that there are still approximately 62,000 foreign nationals staying beyond their authorized period of stay in hiding somewhere in the country, so the Immigration Bureau is making the following efforts to further reduce the number of illegal foreign residents.

## (1) Strengthened Detection

The Immigration Bureau has established “special detection officer units” that are to engage full-time in detecting offenders in violation of the Immigration Act in the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau (six units), Nagoya Regional Immigration Bureau (two units), Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau (two units) and Yokohama District Immigration Office (one unit), which are located in large city areas where there are many offenders. In addition, the Immigration Bureau has improved the ability to detect illegal foreign residents, and is promoting joint detection by strengthening cooperation with the local police authorities.

It has become obvious that illegal foreign residents tend to exist in smaller groups and have spread out in wider areas, and the number of those who are detected at a single site has been on the decline over the years. Given this, the Immigration Bureau seeks to gather and analyze various pieces of information on foreign nationals staying beyond their authorized period of stay, and makes efforts to promote effective and efficient detection by rebuilding the composition of the immigration control officers.
deportation, by revoking their status of residence and then enforcing the deportation procedures against them.

## ② Crackdowns on Imposter Foreign Residents, etc

## (1) Reinforcement of the Collection and Analysis of Information

In order to promote measures against imposter foreign residents, it is very important to carry out further effective crackdowns by uncovering such residents based on the collection and analysis of information.

For this reason, as well as continuously and accurately collecting and investigating information submitted by the foreign nationals and their organizations, the Immigration Bureau utilizes and reinforces the analysis of information received from the general public on foreign nationals staying beyond their authorized period of stay, information received through information exchange with the police and other ministries and agencies, and information provided by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on notifications of the employment of foreign nationals in order to be able to effectively find and expose imposters foreign residents, and to strictly deal with them.

## (2) Strengthened Detection of Foreign Nationals Engaged in Unauthorized Activities/Strict Handling of Foreign Nationals Falling under the Grounds for Revocation of the Status of Residence

When a foreign national residing in Japan with a status of residence that has restrictions on the activities which may be engaged in, is found to be engaged solely in work which does not fall under the scope of activities of the status of residence previously granted at the time of entry, he or she becomes subject to the grounds for deportation. The Immigration Bureau is engaged in proactively exposing such foreign nationals.

In addition, the Immigration Bureau has been making efforts to reinforce crackdowns through such means as having immigration control officers and immigration inspectors cooperate to conduct investigations into the actual situation of foreign nationals and if a foreign national is found to fall under the grounds for revocation of the status of residence, his or her status of residence will be revoked and he or she will become subject to the deportation procedures.

## ③ Strict Treatment of Brokers Aiding Foreign Nationals in Illegal Residence and Imposter Residence

Article 24 of the Immigration Control Act provides that anyone coming under any of the following grounds for deportation will be deported: a person who has prepared or otherwise provided forged or false documents for the purpose of having another foreign national illegally acquire permission; a person who has had another foreign national engage in illegal work; a person who possesses forged residence cards for the purpose of using them; and a person who has forged or otherwise provided residence cards. In close cooperation with the police and other related authorities, the Immigration Bureau takes stringent actions by proactively detecting brokers and other offenders involved in aiding foreign nationals illegally staying beyond their authorized period of stay and imposter foreign residents pursuant to the provisions of this Article and other provisions.
rectors based on those opinions are published each year pursuant to the provisions of the Immigration Control Act.

Article: At the front line of immigration control ad-

ministration (voice of an immigration control

officer in the Detention Department)(Takahide Yamada, Detention Department, Nagoya

Regional Immigration Bureau ( $ ^{*} $ at the time

of writing))

I work as an immigration security officer for a facility that detains foreign nationals subject to the deportation procedures. Foreign nationals who are deemed to be unwelcome and foreign nationals who are suspected of having unwelcome motives in Japan are detained in this facility. These foreign nationals have different nationalities, and their race, ethnicity, religion, creed and custom are highly diversified. Some wish to return to their home country, while others wish to stay in Japan. They live together in the same facility under individually different circumstances and each have

their own worries. Therefore, it would be difficult for them to live together peacefully if there weren't any rules since this would lead easily to arguments with other detainees as well as possible conflicts with us, the immigration bureau staff.

From my perspective as an immigration security officer for the detention facility, I believe that it is best to safely resolve such conflict by urging the detainees to try to understand each other and by ensuring that there is no ill feeling left between them. For that, discussion is necessary, and we need to create an atmosphere in which they feel comfortable talking. So the first thing I do is always greet the detainees.

There are various reasons as to why I start with a greeting. One reason is that I feel that detainees who greet me in turn are more likely to try and understand what the other person is saying and the other person's point of view, and they are also less likely to cause trouble. This is one method for me to identify which detainee's movements I need to watch more closely.

A greeting is also an opportunity for me to say something to the detainees, and has the advantage of being something that can be done quite naturally. Through greeting a detainee, I am able to start a conversation where I may be able to hear about something that gives me a clue as to the detainee's state of mind, or I may able to alleviate that person's stress by giving advice and offer some kind of relief, from which develops a relationship of trust between us. This can help prevent a conflict from occurring or a problem from getting complicated.

I believe that a simple greeting has magical powers that can remove mental barriers, and is a tool that security officers should utilize effectively, and therefore, I hope to continue using greetings in the future in order to contribute to a good treatment environment and the maintenance of order in the detention facility.
### Chapter 6. International Society and Responses to International Situations

## Section 1 ☐ Treaties and International Conventions

## Extension of the Period of Stay of Indonesian/Filipino Nurse/Care Worker Candidates under the Economic Partnership Agreement

With respect to the extension of the period of stay of Indonesian/Filipino nurse and care worker candidates under the Economic Partnership Agreement, approval was granted through a Cabinet decision on March 11, 2011 for the period of stay of foreign nurse and care worker candidates who had entered Japan in FY 2008 or 2009 to be extended for an additional year in light of diplomatic considerations, taking into account the fact that the candidates had entered Japan before proper additional learning support to be provided by the accepting organizations after the commencement of work by the candidates had been started on a full-scale basis.

However, it was the Indonesian nurse and care worker candidates, who entered Japan in FY 2012, and the Filipino nurse and care worker candidates, who entered Japan in FY 2013, who were the first candidates to be given the chance to participate in the current six-month Japanese language training program before coming to Japan $ (*) $ while those who had entered Japan before then did not have any training.

For this reason, it was decided by the Cabinet on February 26, 2013 that the period of stay of foreign nurse and care worker candidates, who had entered Japan between FY 2010 and 2012 and who had not participated in a six-month Japanese language training program before coming to Japan, would be extended for an additional year in addition to the period of stay originally permitted under the EPA, provided that they satisfied certain conditions, such as acquiring a prescribed minimum score in the FY 2012 national nursing exam, in order to enable the candidates to continue their work and training in Japan and to be allowed, as an exception, to have just one more chance to retake the national exam.

## ② Major Actions for Negotiations for the Conclusion of EPAs with other Countries

The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are agreements which aim to promote liberalization and facilitation of trade between signatory nations, as well as the coordination of policies, relaxation of regulations, and cooperation in various economic areas, including tariffs, trade in services, investment, intellectual property, and personal exchanges. The Immigration Bureau has been actively involved in negotiations for the conclusion of EPAs with various countries: Singapore (effective date: November 2002), Mexico (April 2005), Malaysia (July 2006), Chile (September 2007), Thailand (November 2007), Indonesia (July 2008), the Philippines (December 2008), Switzerland (September 2009), Viet Nam (October 2009), India (August 2011), and Peru (March 2012); and has been responsible for the part in the negotiations in relation to the “movement of natural persons”.

As of April 2013, the Immigration Bureau has mainly been involved in negotiations for the conclusion of EPAs, with Mongolia, Canada, Colombia and the EU.
## 3 Reports and Examinations in Accordance with Human Rights Treaties

Japan is a signatory to various treaties, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT). With regard to government reports on the status of the implementation of those treaties, the Immigration Bureau is involved in the drafting of reports, review of the government reports, and follow-up thereof from the perspective of immigration control administration.

## Section 2 ☐ International Conferences

## G8 Rome/Lyon Group Migration Experts Sub-Group Meeting

The Migration Experts Sub-Group Meeting, one of the sub groups of the G8 Rome/Lyon Group, which is a working experts' group to discuss measures against international terrorism and transnational organized crime at the G8 level, is discussing measures that the G8 members should take cooperatively in the area of illegal immigration and the forgery or alteration of documents.

In 2012, two meetings were held in the US, and officials from the Immigration Bureau attended the meetings to exchange information and opinions with their counterparts in other countries.

## ② Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Conference of the Directors-General of Immigration and Management of Migratory Flows

The ASEM Conference of the Directors-General of Immigration and Management of Migratory Flows has been held every year since 2002 as a forum for immigration officials from the Asian and European countries to gather and discuss issues such as illegal entry and stay. It provides participants with opportunities to exchange opinions and information which are useful when considering measures against issues such as illegal immigration, and therefore, the Immigration Bureau endeavors to send its officials to participate in the meeting to exchange opinions and information. The 11th meeting was held in Cyprus in 2012 and discussed policies related to the migration of highly-skilled persons.

## ③ Other International Conventions

In addition to the international meetings mentioned above, the Immigration Bureau sends officials to attend discussion meetings on bilateral economic partnerships, counter-terrorism measures and consular services etc., with the aim of clearly explaining Japan's position and actively building cooperative relations with other countries. The Immigration Bureau also sends officials to participate in meetings intended for information sharing and opinion exchange, such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA)/Control Authorities Working Group (CAWG).
## Article: The international migration of people -EPAs and immigration control administration

An EPA is an agreement that aims to promote liberalization and facilitation of trade between signatory nations, as well as the coordination of policies, relaxation of regulations, and cooperation in various economic areas, including tariffs, trade in services, investment, intellectual property, and personal exchanges. The conclusion of an EPA has economic, political and diplomatic benefits such as the potential to vitalize the economies of the signatory nations and to strengthen their political relationship; and therefore, as of April 2013, Japan has concluded EPAs with thirteen countries/regions, which have already come into force.

The Immigration Bureau has been involved in Japan’s EPA negotiations mainly with regard to the chapter prescribing the rules on the movement of natural persons, and has attended meetings to discuss, check or negotiate draft provisions of the EPAs; and moreover, has also taken measures such as the amendment of domestic regulations, as required.

Some of the EPAs which Japan has entered into commit Japan to accept foreign nationals in new sectors, and the EPAs with Indonesia and the Philippines stipulate the acceptance of workers striving to obtain the national qualifications of nurses or care workers. This framework enables foreign nationals, as a special exception, to work or train in hospitals or care facilities in sectors where foreign nationals are not usually permitted to work (such as in the field of nursing support and care), provided that they satisfy certain requirements (such as having a nursing qualification in their home country), and approximately 1,600 candidates from the two countries had entered Japan at the time of FY 2012.

Similarly, Japan and Viet Nam agreed on the commencement of negotiations with respect to the acceptance of nurse and care worker candidates under an EPA (enforced in October 2009), and as a result of subsequent negotiations, Japan agreed to the acceptance of candidates through the exchange of diplomatic notes in April 2012, with the first group of Vietnamese nurse and care worker candidates scheduled to enter Japan in 2014.
### Chapter 7. Improvement of Public Relations Activities and Public Services

## Section 1 ☐ Promotion of Public Relations Activities

Recognizing that public relations and enlightenment activities both in Japan and abroad play a major role in the smooth implementation of immigration control administration, the Immigration Bureau has been further promoting more active public relations activities than ever before.

The main public relations activities include releasing statistics concerning immigration control administration such as the number of those entering or departing from Japan, the number of foreign residents and the number of foreign nationals staying beyond their authorized period of stay, and posting and disseminating such information through the Ministry of Justice website. In addition, the Immigration Bureau publishes such information as data on the number of cases of special permission to stay in Japan and the standard processing time of the examinations of recognition of refugee status, in order to allow for a wide variety of people to be able to understand immigration control administration.

Especially in FY 2011 and FY 2012, the Immigration Bureau actively engaged in public relations activities to promote smooth transition of the new residency management system. (See Chapter 1, Section 3.)

Moreover, for the purpose of preventing illegal work through the appropriate employment of foreign nationals, the Immigration Bureau holds an “Illegal Work Prevention Campaign” as part of the larger campaign for “Foreign Labor Problems Awareness Month” conducted by the government every June, so that the general public, companies hiring foreign nationals, and relevant organizations and governments in other countries will be able to better understand the issues and offer cooperation to the Immigration Bureau. In 2012, the Immigration Bureau conducted enlightenment activities for the prevention of illegal employment by distributing leaflets in cooperation with the relevant ministries and local authorities etc.

Leaflet for the New Residency

Management System

Scene from the Illegal Work Prevention Campaign
## Section 2 ☐ Improvement of Public Services

## 1 Facilitating the Landing Examination Procedures

The Immigration Bureau has made efforts to facilitate the entry (landing) examinations at airports and seaports, but foreign nationals who visit Japan through airports have expressed dissatisfaction with the length of time they have to wait in line for the entry (landing) examinations. In response to these complaints, measures have been taken at the immigration counters at the major airports to resolve this problem, by assigning some of the immigration inspectors in charge of the departure and return procedures for Japanese nationals to the examination of foreign nationals, and transferring immigration inspectors between immigration counters depending on the degree of congestion. In addition, the expected waiting time for examination of foreign nationals is indicated and priority lanes for the elderly, the disabled and pregnant women have been established. Thus, the Immigration Bureau has made additional efforts to facilitate procedures and improve the quality of services.

In addition, the Immigration Bureau has made efforts for smoother entry (landing) examination procedures by shortening the waiting time, while sometimes asking airlines for cooperation in view of the real-time situation of each airport. Specifically, immigration adopts a fork line approach which allows arriving passengers to stand in a single line and to proceed one by one to the next available booth instead of having arriving passengers form a line for each inspection booth, increases the number of immigration inspectors when the airport becomes congested, stations immigration booth concierges, broadcasts a guidance video explaining the procedures for the provision of personal identification information, and displays an information board that illustrates the items to be entered in the embarkation and disembarkation card.

Indication of waiting time for examination

Priority lanes

## ② Information Services for Foreign Nationals

The Immigration Bureau has been promoting the “Comfortable Administrative Services Campaign” for the purpose of realizing a friendly and caring administration, but even so some applicants have asked for a reduction in the waiting time for examination and provision of more detailed and clearer guidance on the various procedures.

To meet such a demand, the regional immigration bureaus have been making continuous efforts to improve staff attitudes towards the provision of administrative services and their demeanor by holding seminars on demeanor and attitudes, and have been striving to improve the environment of the reception