## Data Section 1 Major Developments since April 1, 2012

Date	Developments	Contents
Apr.1
2012	Establishment of the Tokyo Wangan/Chiba and Tokyo Wangan/Yokohama mobile teams	In order to further reinforce the system for crisis man-agement at the port of entry, the Tokyo Wangan/Chiba mobile team was established in the Chiba Branch Office of Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau, and the Tokyo Wangan/Yokohama mobile team was established in the Yokohama District Immigration Office of the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau. These mobile teams are in charge of patrol activities at the seaports and in the coastal areas located on the Pacific coast, as well as on-site inspections and searches onboard ships in port.
Apr.6
2012	Additional establishment of the Inspection Depart-ment at the Kansai Airport DistrictImmigration Office, Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau	Upon the opening of a terminal exclusively for LCCs in FY 2012, the Inspection Department was additionally established at the Kansai Airport District Immigration Office, Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau.
May.7
2012	Introduction of a points-based system of preferential immigration treatment for highly-skilled foreign professionals	With respect to the points-based system of preferential immigration treatment for highly-skilled foreign profes-sionals, the following notices of the Ministry of Justice for implementation of the system were enacted on March 30, 2012 and came into effect on May 7, 2012: “Public Notice to Stipulate Activities Referred to in the Right-Hand Column of Appended Table I-5 (Limited to Those Parts Relating to (ii)) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act Pertaining to Highly-Skilled Foreign Professionals under Article 7, paragraph (1), Item (ii) of said Act” and “Guidelines for Handling of the Residency Procedures for Foreign Nationals Residing in Japan for Activities Designated in the Lower Right-Hand Column of the Appended Table in Article 2 of the Public Notice to Stipulate Activities Referred to in the Latter Part of Appended Table I-5 (Limited to Those Parts Relating to (ii)) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act Pertaining to Highly-Skilled Foreign Professionals under Article 7, paragraph (1), item (ii) of said Act”.
Jun.15
2012	Amendment of the “Cabinet Order on the Devel-opment of Related Cabinet Orders and Transitional Measures Accompanying the Enforcement of the Act for Partial Amendment of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act and the Special Act on the Immigration Control of, Inter Alia, Those Who Have Lost Japanese Nationality Pursuant to the Treat-ty of Peace with Japan”	(1) The amount of the issuance fee for a mid to long-term resident wishing to replace his/her residence card under the new residency management system as a result of the amendment of the Cabinet order for Enforcement of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act pursuant to the Cabinet Order cited left was set at 1,300 yen, considering the actual costs for issuance (effective as of July 9, 2012).
(2) The amount of the fee payable for issuance of a certifi-cate of authorization for employment was revised from 680 yen to 900 yen, taking the actual cost required for issuance into consideration (effective as of July 9, 2012).
Jun.15
2012	Amendment of the “Order for Enforcement of the Special Act on the Immigration Control of, Inter Alia, Those Who Have Lost Japanese Nationality Pursuant to the Treaty of Peace with Japan”	The amount of the issuance fee for a special permanent resident wishing to replace his/her special permanent resident certificate was set at 1,300 yen, considering the actual costs of issuance (effective as of July 9, 2012).