Date	Developments	Contents
Sep.28
2012	Amendment of the “Ministerial Ordinance to Provide for Criteria Pursuant to Article 7, paragraph (1), item (ii) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recog-nition Act”	With the aim of reinforcing protection of technical interns and securing proper administration of the technical intern training programs, the “Ordinance for Enforcement of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act,” the “Ministerial Ordinance to Provide for Criteria Pursuant to Article 7, paragraph (1), item (ii) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act,” the “Ministerial Ordinance to Provide for Criteria Pursuant to Article 20-2, paragraph (2) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act” and the “Ministerial Ordinance to Provide for the Requirements of Organizations Provided for in the Right-Hand Column of the “Technical Intern” in Appended Table I-(2) of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act” were amended (effective as of November 1, 2012). These amendments included: (i) clarifi-cation of the points deemed to demonstrate non-compli-ance with the criteria by reason of misconduct; (ii) denial of approval for the acceptance of technical interns if the supervising organization, etc. had been involved in filing a false application in the previous five years; and (iii) man-datory reporting of the fact of misconduct by the technical organization implementing the intern training program, accepting organization and supervisory organization.
Sep.28
2012	Preparation of laws and ordinances in connection with the EPA between Japan and Vietnam	Upon completion of the exchange of letters relating to the entry and temporary stay of nurses and certified care workers with the Government of the Socialist Repub-lic of Viet Nam on April 18, 2012, the “Ordinance for Enforcement of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act” and the “Public Notice to Provide for the Activities Listed 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 under Article 7, Paragraph (1), Item (ii) of said Act” were amended, and the “Guidelines on the Treatment of Vietnamese Nurses and Certified Care Workers in Connection with the Completion of the Exchange of Let-ters Relating to the Entry and Temporary Stay of Nurses and Certified Care Workers with the Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam on April 18, 2012” were enacted (effective as of September 28, 2012), in connec-tion with the acceptance of Vietnamese nurses and certi-fied care workers.
Oct.1
2012	Establishment of Kobe mobile team in charge of prevention of illegal entry in Kinki District	In order to further strengthen the system of crisis man-agement at the port of entry, the Kobe mobile team in charge of preventing illegal entry in the Kinki District, responsible for patrols at the seaports and coastal areas on the Japan Sea side where there is the fear that illegal ac-tivities will take place owing to the geographical location, as well as on-site inspections and search of ships in port was established in the Kobe District Immigration Office of Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau.