In the “Japan Revitalization Strategy (Revised in 2014)” approved by the Cabinet in June 2014, “Now that the goal of increasing the annual number of foreign visitors to Japan to 10 million by 2013 under the Japan Revitalization Strategy has been achieved, the Government aims to increase the number to 20 million by 2020, by taking advantage of the golden opportunities presented by the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games” was set, and as a result of the promotion of various measures by the government aimed at the realization of a tourist-oriented country such as the visa easing measures, the number of foreign nationals entering Japan in 2014 was approximately 14.15 million people which was an increase of approximately 2.89 million people (25.7%) when compared to the previous year, and was a record high.

In FY 2015, as a measure to strengthen the immigration structure, a total of 202 additional immigration inspectors were assigned made up of the officers required for the immigration examinations at the seven major airports, which account for about 90% of people entering and departing from all over Japan (Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, New Chitose, Fukuoka and Naha Airport), officers required for the secondary screening examinations to carry out strict and prompt landing examinations, officers required for the immigration examinations at the regional airports and seaports which are seeing a substantial increase in the number of people entering and departing from Japan and the officers required for immigration examinations in accordance with the implementation of PNRs. Moreover, in July 2015, towards the realization of a tourism-oriented country, additional 25 immigration inspectors including officers who were to be sent to the regional airports and seaports flexibly to help the immigration examinations were sent as an emergency measures.

## 3 Training

As the number of foreign nationals entering and departing from Japan has been increasing year by year and the types of residence have diversified, the volume of services has increased and the contents of routine duties to be performed by immigration inspectors and immigration control officers have become more complicated and difficult. It is therefore indispensable to enhance the skills and abilities of the officers of the Immigration Bureau, and therefore we are now in the process of enriching and reinforcing our training program targeted for those officers.

In addition to systematic training for newly employed persons, middle-level persons and managers

implemented by the Research and Training Institute of the Ministry of Justice, which is a training organization of the Ministry of Justice, the Immigration Bureau implements various kinds of training programs by not only staff with specialized knowledge but also outside experts are invited to give a lecture for the purpose of enhancing the professional knowledge of the staff, e.g. training for persons engaged in the detection of document forgery, training for persons engaged in entry and residence examination work, training for persons engaged in refugee recognition work, fingerprints examination training, and training for human rights and mental health.

Also, as the work of the Immigration Bureau is mainly concerned with foreign nationals, it makes efforts to improve language skills necessary for the work by organizing language seminars in English and other languages for staff at professional language schools, etc.

Training

Discipline inspection of immigration control officers