A number of changes to Japanese ID registration systems have been implemented in recent years, some of them for everyone in Japan and others pertinent only to foreign nationals. The ins and outs can be a bit confusing, particularly for those who have been used to living under the old systems for many years. Here is a summary of the various IDs and what they mean for you:
Residence card (zairyū card)
Introduced in July 2012, this replaced the old alien registration card (colloquially known as "gaijin cards") for non-Japanese with "mid- to long-term residential status" (basically longer than three months). The three-year grace period for swapping over has come and gone, so we hope there are no Japan Times readers out there thinking the alien registration card is still valid. The plastic laminated cards, which bear your photo, can be renewed at your nearest immigration bureau or obtained at the airport upon arrival at the airport if you're getting one for the first time. The name on the card matches what is in your passport. This is the primary source of ID for non-Japanese residents and by law you are supposed to always carry it with you.