Gov't eyes enrolling foreign nationals in resident registry

Thursday 26th February, 05:45 AM JST

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Richard_III at 03:33 PM JST - 26th February

So us foreign nationals will still have to make a run to the immigration office

This is probably one of the worst places on earth, next to a benefits office in Bethnal Green. I always have a severe sense of "level-down" when I visit the place.
MANDUDE at 03:35 PM JST - 26th February

After a friend of mine was getting stalked, and several different people knocked on my door with special English information on all kinds of random things ...for sale in one way or another (religious groups, medical services, depression/suicide help, telephone and internet services in English...the list goes on) I found out that anyone and their mom can walk into the city office and ask: "So where do the foreigners live?" and they will actually give your name and address. This was a problem at my last job a couple years back where a student went to the city office and got the addresses of all the teachers that lived in the area and he would hang around appartment buildings waiting for "chance" encounters- turns out he just was looking for free english lessons and wanted to hang out but any freak could do the same with other intentions
Nessie at 03:43 PM JST - 26th February

A detective, no less, came at night to check my passport, although at the time he did appear to be drunk, and I didn't have to fill any forms in.

You didn't have to show your passport, either. They have no right to see your ID when you're in you're own home.
Nessie at 03:51 PM JST - 26th February

Actually the 巡回連絡カード the police came to my house 4-5 times for it, I said I did not want to fill it out because the ward office already has information about me and I don't want to give more if I don't have to, it just made them come back more and more often, finally the captain came and basically forced me to fill it out, I only filled in my first name and my phone number and gave it back.

I've had this conversation.

J-satsu: We need your information. Me: Do I have to give it? J-satsu: It's in your interest in case of earthquake. Me: When was the last earthquake in Sapporo? J-satsu: In case of emergency, no-one knows you're here. Me: This is my name. This is what I do. Anything else you can get from the ward office. They know I'm here. J-satsu: They don't give us that. Me: Why not? J-satsu: They're not allowed. Me: Why not? J-satsu: Privacy. Me: Indeed. Have a nice day, officer.
MANDUDE at 03:55 PM JST - 26th February

They also do this so that they can pick up their bribes from the yakuza while going door to dorr, this way the gangsters don't have to actually go to the police station to pay their bribes. much easier for everyone

Moderator: Everybody back on topic please.
Nessie at 04:01 PM JST - 26th February

It was more likely one of your friendly neighbours giving you an anonymous welcome to the neighbourhood by reporting you as a suspicious person to the police

I'm not sure that would explain why they were so chummy with the superintendent.
moonbeams at 06:09 PM JST - 26th February

Nessie,

What's scary is that the cops came to do this shortly after I moved into my new place in the same ward but before I had told the ward office my new address. How did the cops know I was living at the new address? Do real estate agents and building owners routinely report non-Japanese to the cops? Was it the superintendent?

I live in a 10-story building with more than 40 apartments, so it's not like the cops just happened by on a whim. They told me they were asking addresses for everyone in the building, but when they left I saw them go straight to the superintendent's room without ringing any other bells. Lying bastards.

By any chance did this happen in April? This happened to me in April, but I'm pretty sure they visited every room in the building. Almost all moves are in the beginning of spring, so maybe it's a coincidence.
moonbeams at 06:19 PM JST - 26th February

Is the resident registry the same as the family registry　戸籍？

Will this enable foreign nationals to become the legal parents of their half native children?
Nessie at 06:52 PM JST - 26th February

By any chance did this happen in April? This happened to me in April, but I'm pretty sure they visited every room in the building. Almost all moves are in the beginning of spring, so maybe it's a coincidence.

I think it was Febuary, and I attributed it to the then-upcoming G8 Summit. They only went round to Japanese apartments, according to my friends in the 'hood.
goldsounds at 07:19 PM JST - 26th February

BIG mistake. Next thing you know they will ask for equal human rights. BAD idea indeed.

Don't be daft. Human rights is not having to register at all for any government.
OneForAll at 08:53 PM JST - 26th February

No problem. Hope they keep a good eye on you all:-) On average the people here are better cared for then in the States. Health and dental care for all with a small co-pay.
sharky1 at 09:12 PM JST - 26th February

Does this mean I will get a kosekitohon and a juminhyo?
knowitall at 09:34 PM JST - 26th February

Does this mean I will get a kosekitohon and a juminhyo?

Just juminhyo. The family register is covered by a different law, I believe. It was not mentioned in any Japanese language version of the article I have seen.
ThonTaddeo at 02:05 AM JST - 27th February

There's no way that the requirement of non-nationals to carry around alien cards at all times will ever be dropped. It's a ridiculous requirement -- losing one's wallet, leaving one's ID at home or at the office, etc., is technically a crime, and in this wired age a police officer could look you up in a database easily just by you stating your name and birthdate, without a physical card -- but it's one of the police's key weapons in controlling the foreign population. They'll never voluntarily give that up.
LostinNagoya at 12:51 PM JST - 2nd March

Do not get that happy so fast. They will abolish the current system, but then you will need to carry, all the time, your passport or a driver´s license. So, nothing new here. They will stop you when you decide to go shopping. The real bad part is that with this new system, they will be able to tax almost everyone then.