Job Discussion Forums

[starteacher]

Hi

I think this is an important article worth thinking about that is applicable to all. I don't know the fine details of the the proposed new alien registration (gaijin) cards so will be looking out for its development over time.

What is concerning is that punishments for the proposed IC card will now be even swifter and stricter. If you change any status recorded on your chip and don't report it to the authorities within 14 calendar days, you face a new �200,000 fine. If you don't comply within three months, you risk losing your visa entirely. Such issues amongst other things also discussed in article.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090519zg.html

I wonder if the more experienced forum members who are living in Japan know more about when such cards will be enforced.

[starteacher]

Follwoing on :

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090525a1.html

This new proposed ID card has implications for many. Supposing you are between jobs and you need to move from A to B, and whilst you have a million and one things to do, you may forget to update your gaijin card as you don't know even where the new registery office is, or your new employer (whom you don't know well and so put all your faith in) didn't get the paperwork done on time as they have a million and one things to do as well. Well, whatever happens it ends up as your damn fault and the proposed monitoring system is far too strict than before. The fine is severe and may even lose the visa status.

It's all the new immigration changes that are happening all over the world due to "war on terrorism" fears.

[gwynnie86]

Concerning thing is this is happening in the UK, with the new proposed ID card scheme - you face a fine of up to �2000 if you fail to tell them of any changes to your details... which for a student means a new address every year! I don't really know the situation in Japan but... over here it will be �30 for a "voluntary" (read: compulsory) ID card, and they've started with international students and immigrants sooo....
Must say, part of why I'm not so keen on staying in the UK is for this reason, so for the same one I can't see myself staying in Japan for more than the year...

[starteacher]

[seklarwia]

They have been pushing for ID cards and storing biometrics for years. I'd be highly suprised if they actually went ahead just now and pushed them on foreigners first especially with the latest cock ups that have been made with those terror suspects they couldn't prove anything against but tried to deport anyway and whatnot. And with all the government cash scandals I can't see it happening until they at least have that sorted. Apparently some MPs are even putting in a vote of no confidence for the current PM.

Two of my siblings renewed their passports in 2005 only a couple of months after me. They got those ones with the chip in the back and were told that eventually they would have to have their biometric info stored to it as would we all... I guess they forgot about that though when it turned out that the readers were only 70% accurate

[G Cthulhu]

Compared to the current situation in the US, the Japanese proposals are mild.

[starteacher]

Latest developments

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090619a1.html