The Justice Ministry announced Friday that non-Japanese minors who were born, raised and educated in Japan will soon be eligible for special permission to reside in the country.
The move comes in response to a controversial revision to the asylum law that was passed earlier this year, and according to Justice Minister Ken Saito is an effort to protect children affected.
In light of the recent changes to the asylum law — including rules surrounding detention and deportation — the special permission is intended to address cases of children who find their parents affected by the new regulations and themselves without residency and at risk of deportation.