### Chapter 5. 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 Halve the Number of Illegal Foreign Residents” 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 special detection officer units (see subsection 2(1) below), 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”, as the Immigration Bureau has continued efforts to further reduce the number of foreign nationals illegally staying, consequently the number of foreign nationals overstaying their authorized period of stay was decreased to approximately 59,000 as of January 1, 2014.

However, the number of foreign nationals illegally staying beyond their authorized period of stay reached approximately 60,000 as of January 1, 2015, which was an increase for the first time in 22 years.

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

A steady decrease of the number of illegal foreign residents in Japan is recognized as a result of past efforts. However, it is estimated that there are still approximately 60,000 foreign nationals staying beyond their authorized period of stay in hiding somewhere in the country.

Owing to the variety of measures being taken by the entire government aimed at the realization of a tourism-oriented country, it is expected that there will be a further increase in the intake of foreign nationals in the future, and in response to this, since it is very likely that the number of foreign nationals staying illegally beyond their authorized period of stay will further increase, we will work to maintain a commensurate framework to deal with these illegal residents, strengthen the following measures and work on further reducing the number of illegal 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 illegal foreign residents, the Immigration Bureau has reinforced the ability to detect illegal foreign residents, and is promoting joint detection by strengthening cooperation with the local police authorities.