Japanese Immigration Law & Practice

In July 2012, important amendments to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act , which introduce, among others, the new residency management system for foreigners, eventually take effect subsequent to a series of other legislative changes in recent years.

Japan’s immigration law and policy is at an important turning point. Due to the trend of globalization and other domestic factors, such as an expected change in the number and composition of the population, immigration law and policy is expected to play a larger and more significant role in society in the future.

This book is intended to provide a concise yet comprehensive overview of the Japanese immigration law and practice, focusing in detail on practical and important points. This book covers a wide range of topics, including the basic framework of the immigration regime, various procedures for entry and stay in Japan, details of the standards to be satisfied for each type of status of residence, etc., with sufficient reference to authoritative sources of statutes, ordinances, public notices and guidelines. The use of the masculine pronoun in this book is solely for brevity and simplicity, and there is no intention of biasness towards any particular gender.