Foreigners residing in Yamanashi Prefecture who have had their visa renewal applications rejected and are in bureaucratic limbo while awaiting deportation or reapplying to stay, are being kept from joining the state-run health insurance system, it was learned Tuesday.
Support groups for foreigners in this situation said they suspect similar cases can be found throughout the country.
According to officials at Oasis, a support group based in the prefectural capital of Kofu, the situation causes humanitarian problems and violates international rules on human rights.
Oasis will lobby the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry and the prefectural government to ease regulations regarding health insurance, they said.