A bill to amend Japan’s immigration laws will be resubmitted to parliament in an effort to resolve an issue regarding the long-term detainment of foreign nationals without legal residence status, the Asahi Shimbun reported Thursday.

If the bill, which was shelved before last fall’s extraordinary parliament session, is taken up during the parliament session that begins Jan. 23, it would be one of more than 60 pieces of legislation expected to be debated.

According to Asahi, the bill's outline is mostly unchanged from the original version proposed in 2021. Those in Japan seeking refugee status will be able to apply twice, unless the government judges there are reasonable grounds for a third effort.