Anyone who has lived in Japan for more than 90 days is familiar with the Alien Registration Card, otherwise more commonly known as the "Gaijin Card." All of us "gaijins" (foreigners) are supposed to carry this card with us at all times. That even includes the several hundred thousand Japan born Koreans; those of Korean ancestry who were born here (or who's ancestors may have been born here too) and for all practical purposes are Japanese (but, there are some who hold their Korean pride and do not use Japanese names).
The government is now proposing a change to the current system. Under the government-sponsored immigration bills, as they are currently written, a new "zairyu" (residence) card would replace the current alien registration card.
Under the current system, even illegal immigrants can register their status with local governments and receive some public services. But they would not be able to get a zairyu card and would not be registered in the resident registration in their municipalities. This leaves some human right activists concerned that children of illegal immigrants might not be able to receive certain public services, including education.
Hey - wait a minute - aren't these ILLIEGAL immigrants? Doesn't that mean that they shouldn't be in Japan or at least should be trying to get their status to legal? Of course, the USA has lots of illegal immigrants and as most people know, their children born in the USA not only get benefits, they get US citizenship (as do the children of legal immigrants and legal workers in the USA). Okay, is there something wrong with this illegal immigrant picture or is it just me? Foreigners would be obliged to carry the new card at
all times, just as with the current card. Failure to do so could result
in a maximum fine of ¥200,000, the same as the current regulation. They would also be required to
report to the government in 14 days if they change employer or address.
Otherwise they could lose their visas if they don't report within 90 days. Currently, management of foreigners' information is handled by local governments (cities, ward offices, etc.). However, under the new proposal such management would be consolidated under the Justice Ministry. That means that foreigners can no longer go to their local ward office / city office to make changes, get a new card, etc. - everyone would have to go to an immigration office. So, were foreigners consulted on all of these changes? Not so, according to Nobuyuki Sato of Research-Action Institute
for the Koreans in Japan, one of the people who organized a protest rally
and a meeting on the proposed legal changes on Sunday. And, of course, there are those who oppose the revisions, including a number of human rights groups, who say the proposed monitoring
system is far too strict and could pose a violation of human rights. Meanwhile, carry that Gaijin card. As another card's famous slogan says, 'don't leave home without it!'
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