### Chapter 7. Promotion of Measures against Trafficking in Persons and Proper Protection of Foreign Victims of Domestic Violence

## Section 1 ☐ Promotion of Measures against Trafficking in Persons

## 1 Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Persons

Trafficking in persons is a grave violation of human rights and a prompt and accurate response is called for from a humanitarian perspective. This is because human trafficking causes serious mental and physical pain to its victims, particularly to women and children, and the damage it causes is difficult to repair. The authorities concerned address this issue through the "Action Plan of Measures to Combat Trafficking in Persons" approved in December 2004 and the "2009 Action Plan of Measures to Combat Trafficking in Persons" approved in December 2009.

The number of foreign nationals for whom the Immigration Bureau implemented procedures for protection as victims of trafficking in persons (including support to return to their home countries) was 12 persons in 2013 (9 persons in the previous year). According to statistics by nationality/region, the Philippines had 6 victims (4 in the previous year), followed by Thailand with 6 victims (4 in the previous year).

The number of victims who had a status of residence out of the total of 12 victims was 8 persons (8 persons in the previous year) and the number of victims who were in violation of the Immigration Control Act such as illegally staying beyond the authorized period of stay was 4 persons (1 person in the previous year). In addition, all of the victims who were in violation of the Immigration Control Act were granted special permission to stay in Japan (Table 48).

The number of victims has declined significantly since 2005, when the Immigration Bureau started the survey and protected 115 victims, and the number has been hovering around 10 to 20 in recent years. It is considered that the reason for such decline is due to the fact that the Government as a whole is taking overall and comprehensive countermeasures against trafficking in persons based on the “Action Plan of Measures to Combat Trafficking in Persons” and that countermeasures for preventing trafficking in persons, including a review of the entry permission criteria (ministerial ordinance) relating to the status of residence of “Entertainer”, and the implementation of stricter entry examinations, have achieved a certain effect (Table 49).

Table 48 Number of victims of trafficking in persons (2013)

(People)

BreakdownNationality/region	Recognized as a victim of trafficking in persons	Total
Foreign nationals previously in possession of a status of residence	Violators of the Immigration Control Act (Special Permission to Stay in Japan)
Philippines	5	1(1)	6
Thailand	3	3(3)	6
Total	8	4(4)	12

$ ^{*} $ The breakdown by status of residence of foreign nationals previously in possession of a status of residence was “Spouse or Child of Japanese National”, five persons; “Specialist in Humanities/International Services”: two persons; and “Entertainer”: one person.

In addition, the types of violation of the four foreign nationals granted special permission to stay were: "illegal entry": one person, and "illegally overstaying" (Temporary Visitor): three persons.