National Jan 17, 2019
Bangladeshi asylum-seeker's cuffed visit to Japanese hospital sparks online debate
Mahruf Abdullah agreed to have the images shared, saying he hopes to let people know how people like him are being treated.
National / Crime & Legal Feb 10, 2016
Detainees launch hunger strike over conditions at Osaka immigration detention center
by Shusuke Murai
About 50 detainees being held at the Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau went on a hunger strike Wednesday to protest what they call "inhumane" treatment by Immigration Bureau officials, a group supporting them said. The detainees believe officials at the facility are using intentional mistreatment to ...
Issues | THE FOREIGN ELEMENT Sep 8, 2014
Mind the 'geb': Little word is a big problem for Japan's German residents
by Louise George Kittaka
Inflexible residence card system leaves married Germans with ridiculously long names on their IDs — along with an annoying little extra word.
National / Crime & Legal Aug 8, 2014
Switch to 'special' permanent resident status for Koreans proceeding slowly
A certificate introduced in July 2012 for "special permanent residents" of Korean and Taiwanese descent had been issued to only around 13 percent of the more than 370,000 eligible people as of June 30, according to the Immigration Bureau. The slow changeover from the alien ...
National Apr 19, 2014
Facial recognition tests will resume at airports this summer in preparation for the expected surge in visitors for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
How-tos | LIFELINES Feb 2, 2014
Post-school life can bring visa complications
by Masako Suzuki
After The Japan Times published a Lifelines column on Dec. 15 that focused on visa issues, we received a lot of mail from readers asking about their particular individual situations. We would like to stress that it is always best to have a professional look ...
Issues | THE FOREIGN ELEMENT Jan 27, 2014
A death in detention in Tokyo and a bitter belated farewell
by Graeme Messer
What was the back story to this Ghanaian's death from pneumonia? A pre-existing condition? Or something the immigration authorities wanted hidden? Without an autopsy, there would be no answers to these gnawing questions. We already knew all we would ever know.
How-tos | LIFELINES Dec 15, 2013
To stay here long term, visa seekers need to prove they can pay their way
by Yuichi Kawamoto
From finding a residence status that suits your circumstances to signing up a sponsor, getting a visa to stay in Japan for the long term can be a challenge.
Voices | VIEWS FROM THE STREET Sep 9, 2013
Tokyo: Have you ever had any trouble with immigration in Japan?
by Mark Buckton
Tokyo residents share their stories about their dealings with Japan's Immigration Bureau on entry, exit and at visa-renewal time
How-tos | LIFELINES Jun 25, 2013
A year on, what you should already know about residence cards and re-entry
by Masami Kittaka
Reader CW writes: "I've lived here 35 years and am a permanent resident. Recently I met an American who had just returned through Tokyo immigration and all the information about his work, residence and visa status was on his card but not on his ...