What do you think of the new Japanese immigration procedures?

Question

For those regular international travelers to Japan, from today, there is a new procedure to get into the country. From today, before clearing passport control, you have to give a finger print of your index finger and have a photo taken of you, then the normal passport checking will start.

Anyone who refuses to do this will be declined entry to the country. Here is the website of you didnt know about it: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/keiziban/happyou/pdf/poster-english.pdf

you do need Adobe to open the pdf file

I dont think it has to do with terrorism. I see it on the bigger picture that if a crime was commited in Japan, for whatever reason and interpol (international police forces) were had to be used, if your fingerprints or a photo of you were left behind at a scene (kidnap, murder, fraud, raid ect) and your fingerprint matched, I think then they could question you.

I just disagree with the first 2 answers as I see it on the bigger scale

antivirus, I have no idea where you are coming from. Are you saying that I think this shoudnt be happening?? If you are, you are completely wrong. This is just a general question to see if you approve of it or not. Same with Jorentia..., dont know where your coming from.

Answer 1

☆Thanks for the info site! Good to know.☆
I have to agree with oncoshishin!^_^
I'm an American living in Japan with a Japanese hubby. We travel back and forth to the U.S. a few times a year. (We own 2 homes there and visit every chance we get.) When my hubby enters the U.S., we both enter together, he NEVER complains when he's the only one to get an "eye scan" and I just get stamped and passed through. So, I see no reason to mind Japan taking "safety precautions" when I (=foreigner) enter Japan as well. Better safe than sorry, especially if my finger print or photo will help in the event that I am the victim of some crime....(^_-)-☆
*¸¸.·*´¯` ♡Just MY opinion here. I don't mind it at all!(*^o^*)
Addition:*¸¸.·*´¯`☆ I agree with your added info- ABSOLUTELY, your fingerprint and photo would be useful in MANY cases I think. Not only if a crime was committed but in cases of emergency and so on. Good point made!
★★Note to Selena:★★
*　Please note that “special permanent resident” (Tokubetsu Eijuken) status holders are non-Japanese nationals who have resided in Japan since prior to World War II (mostly long-term resident Korean nationals).
http://www.canadanet.or.jp/offices/immigration071116e.shtml

Answer 2

Even though th Japanese government says its for anti terrorism, which I don't agree with because all the terrorist attacks in Japanese History have been done by the Japanese and not foreigners. Look at 1995 Tokyo Subway attacks, these were not foreigners, but Japanese themselves.

However I can understand the fingerprint and photograph items being used to verify passport and identity for immigration purposes. Japan has a large number of over stayers especially from other countries, many of which who are deported, but then return under different names and different passports, this way they can certainly guarantee that the person who is there is who they say they are.

ON THAT MATTER I can agree with.

Otherwise talk about reducing foreign crime is B.S. (most crime in Japan are committed by Japanese). So to say crime in Japan is caused by foreigners is nothing but a bunch of hog wash. Remember foreigners in Japan consists of about 1 percent of the population, also there have been ZERO terrorist attacks done by Foreigners. All terrorist attacks in Japan have been done by Japanese, not foreigners.

I'm from the USA, we photograph and fingerprint incoming foreigners, so we get a taste of our own medicine there. I find it funny sometimes (not saying it is you) that some complain about Japanese procedures, but don't seem to complain about the USA procedures when it comes to foreigners visiting their country.

However, for identification purposes I can understand the policies, not that I agree or disagree with them.

I think this is the wave of the future unfortunately, and I would not be surprised if more countries started such procedures.

Answer 3

Well if this is a one time procedure and from then on, they say scan the index finger then I say okay. If this is something where they want photo and fingerprint -every-single-time, then I say that is ridiculous. It will just cause congestion at the airports and angry travelers.

Overall the idea is good for the government to see who is entering their country. I mean who would want to commit a crime if their identity is on a file with fingerprint? It also could crack down on illegals entering the country and such.

But in cases where a person has been nationalized and just not an ethnic japanese; is a bit ridiculous, they already gave up citizenship to their original country why would they be treated differently from ethnic japanese? That aspect I completely don't understand, its kind of profiling if you ask me.

Answer 4

If it were just for terrorist reasons, Japanese should be doing the same, look at all those Japanese getting lost somewhere in Iran or Afghanistan presumably being tourists there! Who can ever verify that! So, I guess it is just to control crimes committed here by foreigners, only most of the time they stay here illegally anyway. Besides, immigration has all the fingerprints and photos of residents anyway! So, I don't really see the use unless loads of tourists come here and commit crimes and then it would be enough if they would check tourists only.
What do they mean with 'Special permanent residents'?

Answer 5

It's a waste of the taxpayers money because I doubt very much if any crimes will be solved because of it. A lot of crime in Japan is covered up by the police themselves in order to keep a low crime rate so they can get promotions. If they aren't going to investigate crime, there's not much point in having the fingerprints of the suspect.

Look at the sumo wrestler in Nagoya who was found with bruises and cigarette burns all over his body last spring. The cops said it was a heart attack and that he was a careless smoker! Or take a look into the nurse in Sendai who bumped off about a dozen patients before he finally got caught. I'm sure that's just the tip of the iceberg. However Japanese taxpayers seem to love having their tax money wasted. Why else would they pay for rivers and beaches to be covered in cement?

Answer 6

As a 10 year resident of Japan I don't like it at all.

Long term foreign residents, whose backgrounds have long since been checked by the japanese authorities are having to endure over 2 hour waits in line (according to eyewitness reports today), compared to 5-10 minutes previously.

And this project, supposedly long in the planning, only has expedited reenry lanes (which incidentally were failing to read fingerprints 80% of the time at the registration point) for residents at Narita due to lack of funds? Where was the budgeting for the other 100+ ports of entry in the planning stages?

Another stupidity of this system - international families are split up, the japanese spouse and the children are processed through the japanese line and have to wait 90 minutes to 2 hours for the non-japanese spouse.

Answer 7

I would think that after the first time you are printed, you may not have to go through the procedure every time.

I also think as soon as more countries have the money to set it up, they will also follow suit -Biometrics like face recognition will also be used in the not to distant future.

I just hope that Govts use the info wisely.

To read the pdf file just get Foxit- file size 2.1mb only, unlike that really bulky Adobe. (Free PDF Reader)

http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader_2/down_reader.htm

Answer 8

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Answer 9

Nowadays, technology is improving day by day. Why not, Japanese government can take it to prevent international terrorism or whatever a crime? Or you think Japanese government doesn't have any right to protect its own country and citizen?

Even in the airport of the other country, after the 911 incident, procedure of security check has become stricter than before. At least everybody who doesn't commit any crime can freely go to the other country now. So there should be some security measure to prevent a criminal enter.

You want to invite a criminal from foreign country and let him sit down next to you? I don't think you want.

Answer 10

This procedure is also required for non-U.S. citizens at American airports.

I don't think it has anything to do with terrorism. I just feel that it's for safety and immigration issues. America and Japan are allies. Whatever the U.S. does, Japan does as well.