## ③ Strict Handling of Brokers Involved in Aiding Illegal Residence and Imposter Residence

Article 24 of the Immigration Control Act provides that anyone coming under any of the following grounds for deportation will be deported: a person who has prepared or otherwise provided forged or false documents for the purpose of having another foreign national illegally acquire permission; a person who has had another foreign national engage in illegal work; a person who possesses forged residence cards for the purpose of using them; and a person who has forged or otherwise provided residence cards. In close cooperation with the police and other agencies, the Immigration Bureau proactively exposes brokers and other offenders involved in aiding foreign nationals overstaying their authorized period of stay and imposter foreign residents pursuant to the provisions of this Article, and moreover, takes stringent action against those unlawful employers who are involved in the crime of aiding with illegal employment.

## Section 3 ◆ Efforts for Further Appropriate Treatment

## Efforts for Further Appropriate Treatment of Detainees

Based on an agreement reached with the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) in September 2010, the Immigration Bureau started discussions with the JFBA on better measures about treatment of foreign nationals held in the detention centers, and will continue to hold such discussions in the future. To date, the Immigration Bureau has already implemented measures together with the JFBA such as having attorneys provide legal consultations to the detainees, while some members of bar associations have been providing regular consultations over the phone or in person to detainees in the detention centers.

In addition, when a foreign national has been issued with a deportation order, but there is no prospect for a deportation owing to such circumstances preventing the deportation that the detainee suffers from a disease or owing to the institution of litigation, or where it is difficult for such a person to acquire a passport, the Immigration Bureau, as far as possible, proactively grants provisional release to ensure that such foreign nationals are not detained for a long period of time.

Furthermore, in order to realize more proper treatment to the detainees with due consideration being given to their human rights, while taking into consideration the circumstances of individual facilities, the hours of open treatment, outdoor activities and taking a bath have been extended to the greatest extent permissible in terms of security and, periodical medical checks by visiting psychiatrists commenced in June 2011 at the Higashi-Nihon Immigration Center.

## ② Activities and Duties of the Immigration Detention Facilities Visiting Committee

The Immigration Detention Facilities Visiting Committee was established for the purpose of securing transparency in security treatment and of improving the management of the immigration detention facilities. Currently there are two committees, one in the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau, and another in the Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau. Each committee takes charge of immigration centers and departure waiting facilities in 24 locations (as at the end of March 2016) spread across Japan according to its districts. Each committee inspects the facilities, meets with and interviews detainees, checks the opinions and proposals posted by detainees in the proposal boxes, and holds meetings. Based on the result of these activities, the committee expresses an opinion to the Director of the Immigration