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+--- Thread: Fingerprinting (/thread-968.html)
Fingerprinting - billyclyde - 2007-11-19
I'm no longer in Japan, but the new fingerprinting laws are making me think twice about heading back anytime soon. Anyone over there here anything about it, or has anyone been through Immigration and experienced it firsthand?
Fingerprinting - Jarvik7 - 2007-11-19
Fingerprinting only started today, so I wouldn't expect many if any members to have gone through it yet. I will be going through on the 19th of next month though. Personally I don't really care about the fingerprinting, but I can understand why some people would be.
Fingerprinting - johnzep - 2007-11-19
I'll be making a trip back to America in December. What exactly are the new requirements? At some point leaving the country, I'll get fingerprinted? Or is it when I come back? Or both?
If it's an electronic system, I guess it least is quick. And I guess I can't complain since I understand America has been fingerprinting non-citizens entering the country for years.
And besides, I'm not to worried since the Japanese government can't hang on to millions of pension records, how long before they misplace all the fingerprints?
As a matter of policy, I'm kind of ambivalent about fingerprinting. On one hand it seems invasive. Though I'm sure there are some security benefits as well. But I'm not sure if the benefits are higher than the costs in both actual costs and in negative PR.
Fingerprinting - billyclyde - 2007-11-20
I'm interested in large part about the process-- I'm worried about lines. My friends I stay with when I go back live far enough away from the airport that the trains may stop before I can get out there, depending. So if anyone has any experiences anytime soon, or hear of any, plz. let us know.
Japan Times has had some articles about the requirements, with links-- but I don't know that I want my fingerprints misplaced! Identity theft and all.
Fingerprinting - synewave - 2007-11-20
Finger printing put me off going back to the US. Shame coz I love it there. However my life is pretty much based in Japan now so I'm just going to have to deal with it.
Fingerprinting in itself ain't such a biggie. But it's the increasing pervasiveness of the state that it's a part of that is worrying. Of course Japan isn't the exactly the worst offender on this frontier.
The increase of authority by government, to a point, probably just makes us more accepting of their authority. Fine if the state isn't picking on us. But I wouldn't fancy being a Muslim in the US or UK right now.
Fingerprinting - synewave - 2007-11-20
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071120-00000007-yom-soci
「指紋・顔写真」義務づけスタート、改正入管法が施行
テロリストの入国を水際で防ぐことを目的に、来日した外国人に指紋採取と顔写真撮影を義務づける改正出入国管理・難民認定法が２０日、施行された。
新たな入国審査は、成田空港や関西空港など２７空港と１２６の港で導入され、実際に外国人が到着した成田、関空など２３空港と大阪港など５港で始まった。関空などでは、指紋を読み取る装置が一時作動しなくなるトラブルが発生するなど、入国審査の各ブースには普段より長い行列ができた。
今回の制度の対象となるのは、特別永住者、外交官などを除く１６歳以上の来日外国人。日本への貢献などが認められ永住資格を持つ一般永住者や日本人と結婚して日本に住む外国人も、海外に出て日本に戻れば審査の対象となる。
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7102962.stm
Japan has started to fingerprint and photograph all foreigners when they arrive in the country.
It is only the second country after the United States to check foreigners in this way.
But unlike the US, which only checks foreign visitors, Japan will require foreigners living in Japan to be checked each time they enter.
The Japanese government says it is an anti-terrorism measure but others say it is discrimination.
Any foreigner entering Japan will now be fingerprinted and photographed.
The biometric data will be checked against lists of people who have been deported from the country in the past.
There will also be cross-checks with more than 800,000 pieces of information relating to suspects wanted by the Japanese authorities and the international police organisation Interpol.
Terror target
Japan says the new move is an anti-terrorist measure that will also cut crime.
Human rights organisations say it violates foreigners' rights to privacy and could encourage xenophobia.
They complain it implies that foreigners are most likely to commit acts of terrorism or commit crimes on Japanese soil.
So far there has been no terrorism in Japan committed by foreigners.
Incidents like the sarin gas attacks on commuters on the Tokyo subway were carried out by other Japanese.
There are also concerns that the information gathered will be shared with immigration authorities in other countries.
Foreigners who have visas which allow them to live in Japan, meanwhile, are angry that they will now be treated the same as visitors and subjected to longer waits when they re-enter the country.
Japan insists, though, that the measures are needed to help keep terrorists out.
Tokyo's staunch support of the US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq have raised concerns that Japan could be a terror target.
Fingerprinting - brose - 2007-11-20
If you have a re-entry permit, you will be able to pre-register to use the "automatic gate" which will speed things up . You just fill out a form and they'll take your fingerprint & photo (knowing Japan, they will probably make you buy a stamp, but I'm not sure). You can apply at the Tokyo Immigration Bureau or at Narita airport. I haven't done it myself but I plan to register the next time I fly out. On the return to Narita there will be a separate lane for re-entry permit holders.
Fingerprinting - alantin - 2007-11-20
Here is a video about the procedure:
http://nettv.gov-online.go.jp/prg/prg1203.html
It is quite offending when you recall that most of the criminals in Japan and all the terrorist so far are Japanese.. Wanna know more, Just check Debito's site.. :lol:
But it cant be helped so I don't worry about it..
Fingerprinting - billyclyde - 2007-11-20
My understanding is the automatic gate is only at Narita, with no plans for the other airports?
Synewave, I'm sorry you won't be visiting my country. For what it's worth, irrational fear of Mexicans and Arabs has been stoked by politicians into a way of getting more controls into place. It's complex & stupid, and we already had the rudest immigration procedures I've ever seen. Even Singapore's border controls are at least nice until they have reason not to be.
Fingerprinting - Laura - 2007-11-20
The problem is the inevitable mistakes. The US has listed infants on the no fly list. Recently, a highly respected musicologist at a local College lost her job when she was prevented from coming back to the US from her home country, England. I believe the college kept her on for a year while she try to get things sorted out before finally giving up. No one can figure out why she is on the list. Got a letter myself a few years ago from my government informing me that I now need FBI clearance to retain my professional license.
Fingerprinting - billyclyde - 2007-11-20
Laura, that's awful about the clearance. I saw something on the Daily Show a month ago about a Canadian reseracher refused at the border(!) because his name was on the old 60s scientific paper about LSD done with Timothy Leary. The guy'd been randomly selected for a check, and the immigration officer googled his name and that was the first thing that came up.
They decided he was "involved" in drugs. Now he's basically blacklisted for good, and has no route of appeal and no way to clear things up. Customs and immigration can basically do what they want and nobody can call them on it. I've heard of some bands cancelling tours because their work visas have been refused, when it's never been a problem in the past. What an awful situation.
Fingerprinting - Jarvik7 - 2007-11-20
Speaking of bands cancelling tours, Velvet Revolver recently cancelled their Japanese tour because they were denied visas.
Fingerprinting - Aikiboy - 2007-11-20
Or perhaps it's just a scam to sell more fingerprint scanners...
Either way, Japan needs to be spanked.
Fingerprinting - synewave - 2008-01-03
I imagine quite a few of us had our fingerprints taken over the winter break. Surprisingly, the queue for re-entry visa permit holders was quicker than for Japanese residents. Bet they were wishing they could have gone in the fingerprint line!
Fingerprinting - vosmiura - 2008-01-04
I was glad that it was quite speedy at Nagoya airport. A lot less queuing than in US.
We had an incident in US once, while my wife was pregnant the skin or oil or something on herefingers changed slightly and the finger print reader would not work, which meant she had to go through some extra manual checks
.