ミャンマーの少数民族、カチン族の４０代女性が難民と認められないのは違法として、国を相手取って認定の義務付けなどを求めた訴訟の控訴審判決が１７日、東京高裁であった。白石史子裁判長は難民認定すべきだと判断した一審東京地裁判決を取り消し、義務付け請求を却下した。

　白石裁判長は、女性が加入する反政府デモなどを行う団体について、「ミャンマー政府から権利侵害を受けた者がいる証拠はない」などと指摘。「帰国すれば迫害を受けるという恐怖を抱くに足る客観的な事情は認められない」と述べ、難民認定しない国の処分は正当と結論付けた。
　一審東京地裁は、女性が帰国すれば、国軍などから拷問や虐待を受けるという恐怖を抱く客観的な事情があるとして、難民と認めないのは違法と判断。在留不許可処分なども無効とした。
　判決後、都内で記者会見した女性は「悪い夢を見ているようだ。悲しい、残念な日だ」と話した。代理人弁護士は「世界的にミャンマーから逃れた人の難民認定率は高水準だが、日本での認定はほぼない。申請者への抑圧を強め、秩序を強化しようとする誤った方向だ」と批判し、上告を検討する考えを示した。（時事ドットコム2020年12月17日より）

産経新聞2020年12月17日は、こちら。

アルメニア民族であるトロスヤン・ルーベン氏は、出生時旧ソ連の国籍を保有していた。しかし、１９９１年１月にジョージアが独立し、同年１２月に旧ソ連が崩壊。ジョージアでは民族差別を受け、国境検問を経ずにロシアへ出国した。ロシア国籍の取得を目指したが認められず、１９９３年以降、欧州の１０カ国余りを転々とした。２０１０年に偽造パスポートを使って来日。難民申請をしたが認められず、入国管理局（現出入国在留管理庁）から、２０１２年にジョージアへの強制退去が命じられていた。

２０２０年1月の控訴審判決で、東京高裁（野山宏裁判長）は「ジョージア政府は迫害を続けており、難民で無国籍者。受け入れ国は存在しない」として国の処分を取り消し、強制退去命令も無効と結論づけ、晴れて在留資格5年、就労制限なしの定住者の在留資格を取得した。

東京高裁（野山宏裁判長）の判決書全文（33頁）は、こちら。

これから、外国人を受け入れ、共生社会を作っていかなければなりません。
日本政府は、上記のような「外国人共生センター構想」を持っています。

2018年末で、日本に居住する外国人数は、273万1,093人です。内訳は、中長期在留者（中期：4ヶ月以上1年未満の在留者；長期は1年以上の在留者）で、240万9,677人、特別永住者（1952年時点で、かつて日本国籍を持っていた朝鮮・韓国・台湾人の永住者）で32万1,416人です。

OECDデータベースによれば、2016年の外国人受入数（国別）は、1位ドイツ172万190人、2位米国118万3505人、3位英国45万4000人、4位日本42万7585人、5位韓国40万2203人となっている。

2010年から2016年までの外国人受入累計数では、1位米国1767万7333人、2位ドイツ1476万7196人、3位スペイン767万8306人、4位英国691万973人、5位日本578万2751人となっている。

日本の在留資格ピラミッドは上記右図の通り。（Source:日経ビジネス2019年8月16日『「ブラック国家」ニッポン　外国人材に見放されない条件』より）

Japan’s Foreigners Ranking (1-20) by Prefecture

Japan has a unique “Basic Residents’ Registration (BRR)” to manage Japanese and foreign residents by individual or household. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications annually publishes Japan’s population and household based on BRR. The number of people is categorized by prefecture, local governments, and age.

The below is Japan’s Foreigners Ranking (1-20) by Prefecture.

Full Ranking

Foreigners Ranking (1-20) of Working-Age Population (15-64 years old) by Prefecture (as of Jan 1, 2018)

Tokyo (455,018), Aichi (194,981), Osaka (174,797), Kanagawa (167,040), Saitama (141,165), Chiba (124,945), Hyougo (79,622), Shizuoka (69,426), Fukuoka (61,258), Ibaraki (54,584), Gunma (45,509), Kyoto (44,632), Gifu (41,569), Hiroshima (41,151), Mie (39,490), Tochigi (34,021), Nagano (28,125), Hokkaido (26,407), and Okayama (22,268).

Young Generation (20-29 years old) Ranking by Local Government (City/Ward)

Female

Male

Source: published on July 11, 2018, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Refer to https://goo.gl/eLHqbK (Japanese Only)

4. Highly Skilled Professional (HSP)

Do you have a Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa? Even if you don’t have HSP visas yet, you may get a Permanent Residence visa as soon as possible. A vital point is your HSP points.

First, calculate your HSP points with a Point Calculation Table below. The Table consists of 3 categories of activity: Advanced Academic Research (HSPa), Advanced Specialized/Technical Activity (HSPb), and Advanced Business Management (HSPc).

Advanced Academic Research (HSPa) here

Advanced Specialized/Technical Activity (HSPb)/strong>  here

Advanced Business Management (HSPc)  here

Eligibility for Your Staying Period in Japan

In principle, the person must keep staying in Japan for more than 10 consecutive years to get a permanent visa (status of residence).

Something really remarkably, 80-and-over point holders need only one consecutive year to stay in Japan if they had the same points and over a year ago.

On the other hand, 70-or-more to 79 point holders need to stay in Japan for 3 consecutive years if they had the same range of points 3 years ago. It’s great benefits to HSPs.

We repeat that you can submit a Permanent visa application whether you have a High Skilled Professional (HSP) visa or not if your HSP points are 70/80 and over.

Let’s take immediate action on a Permanent visa application.

Next, you will be able to confirm the checklist of forms and necessary documents.

3.Employment-Based (EB)                                                   

People with job skills wanted by Japan’s employers are also eligible for permanent residence: Working visas such as Engineers/Humanities Specialists/International Services, Business Managers, Attorneys at Law/CPA, Medical Doctors, Researchers, Lecturers, Intra-Company Transferees, Entertainers, Skilled Laborers and so on.

Screening Criteria

(1) The person is of good conduct.

The person always observes Japanese laws. The person’s daily living as a resident does not invite any social criticism. (S)he has been never sentenced to a fine or imprisonment.

(2) The person has sufficient assets or ability to make an independent living.

The person does not financially depend on someone in the society in his/her daily life, and his/her assets or ability, etc. are assumed to continue to provide him/her with a stable base of livelihood into the future. A stable livelihood is assessed by a unit of a family household, not by the person alone.

(3) The person’s permanent residence is regarded to be in accord with the interests of Japan.

– Undesirable foreign people will be against Japan’s public interests, such as people against Japanese culture, economy, and socially accepted idea. The person fulfills public duties such as tax payment and health insurance. There is no possibility that the person could do harm from the viewpoint of protection of public health.

Eligibility for Your Staying Period in Japan

The period of the person’s current visa (status of residence) must be the maximum period or at least 3 years of stay to be allowed.

In principle to get a permanent visa (status of residence), the person must keep staying in Japan for more than 10 years consecutively. Consecutive ten-year staying in Japan must include more than five-year working visas. 

Checklist of Forms and Necessary Documents.

Different from that of Immediate Relatives (Introduction to Permanent Japan Residence [2]+, the applicant must submit a petition that is like an explanatory statement to need a permanent visa at any cost. It includes a family situation, personal history, and your plan to do after getting the permanent visa.

You will need to assemble the following:

FORM

□ Form 34: Application for Permanent Residence (in Japanese)   http://www.moj.go.jp/content/000099654.xls

□ One photograph: 40mm long and 30mm broad, taken within 3 months before, clear front face without a hat, white/blue background, your name on the back side, and attach to Form 34

□ Form Guarantee: with guarantor’s signature or seal   http://www.moj.go.jp/content/000007381.pdf

(Note) Guarantor must assure your living expenses during stay in Japan, flight expense to return home, and full compliance with the Japanese laws.

Documents

□ One residence certificate including you and your whole family living together 世帯(せたい)全員(ぜんいん)の住民票(じゅうみんひょう) if you have a family, except for your ID number マイナンバー(まいなんばー).

□ Your job certificate：

If you are an employee, one employment certificate from your company.

If you are a self-employed person, one copy of final tax returns 確定申告書(かくていしんこくしょ)の控(ひか)えfrom tax office and one copy of business license certificate when needed.

□ Your residence tax certificates: taxation certificates 課税(かぜい)証明書(しょうめいしょ) and tax payment certificates 納税(のうぜい)証明書(しょうめいしょ) for the latest 3 consecutive years from a city/ward office.

□ Your bank statement/balance certificate or one photocopy of bankbook     (cover and recent transactions) preferably

□ One photocopy of your passport and passport itself

□ One photocopy of your Residence Card and Residence Card itself

□ Guarantor’s job certificate (refer to ” Your job certificate” above

□ Guarantor’s income certificate 所得(しょとく)証明書(しょうめいしょ)for the latest one year from a city/ward office

□ Guarantor’s residence certificate 住民票(じゅうみんひょう)

(Note) All certificates above are within 3 months before.

□ A certificate of your contribution to Japan if you have, such as awards, thanks letter, decorations, recommendation letters.

2. Family (Dependent) (FD)

Certain other family dependent members of the following Japan visa holders are also eligible for Japan permanent residence: Supporter’s visas (status of residence) of applicant’s spouse or parent are Professors, Artists, Religious workers, Journalists, Highly Skilled Professionals, Business Managers, Attorneys as Law/CPA, Medical Doctors, Researchers, Lecturers, Engineers/Humanities Specialists/Int’l Services, Intra-Company Transferees, Entertainers, Skilled Laborers, Cultural Activists, and college Students. 

Checklist of Forms and Necessary Documents.

Different from that of Immediate Relatives (Introduction to Permanent Japan Residence [2]+, the applicant must submit a petition that is like an explanatory statement to need a permanent visa at any cost. It includes a family situation, personal history, and your plan to do after getting the permanent visa.

You will need to assemble the following:

FORM

□ Form 34: Application for Permanent Residence (in Japanese)   http://www.moj.go.jp/content/000099654.xls

□ One photograph: 40mm long and 30mm broad, taken within 3 months before, clear front face without a hat, white/blue background, your name on the back side, and attach to Form 34

□ Form Guarantee: with guarantor’s signature or seal   http://www.moj.go.jp/content/000007381.pdf

Documents

□ Document certifying the family relationship with the person supporting you (dependant) such as one copy of your family register 戸籍(こせき)謄本(とうほん)（全部(ぜんぶ)事項(じこう)証明書(しょうめいしょ)）or one birth certificate 出生(しゅっしょう)証明書(しょうめいしょ) or one marriage certificate 婚姻(こんいん)証明書(しょうめいしょ). Japanese translation needed if the certificate is non-Japanese.

□ One residence certificate including you and your whole family living together 世帯(せたい)全員(ぜんいん)の住民票(じゅうみんひょう) except for your ID number マイナンバー(まいなんばー).

□ You or your supporter’s job certificate：

If you are an employee, one employment certificate from your company.

If you are a self-employed person, one copy of final tax returns from tax office and one copy of business license certificate when needed.

□ You or your supporter’s residence tax certificates: taxation certificates 課税(かぜい)証明書(しょうめいしょ) and tax payment certificates 納税(のうぜい)証明書(しょうめいしょ) for the latest 3 consecutive years from a city/ward office.

□ One photocopy of your passport and passport itself

□ One photocopy of your Residence Card and Residence Card itself

□ Guarantor’s job certificate (refer to ” You or your supporter’s job certificate” above

□ Guarantor’s income certificate 所得(しょとく)証明書(しょうめいしょ)from a city/ward office

□ Guarantor’s residence certificate

(Note) All certificates above are within 3 months before.

□ A certificate of your contribution to Japan if you have, such as awards, thanks letter, decorations, recommendation letters.

Quick view of the Application Process 

Japan’s permission for permanent visa (status of residence) is on the assumption that a foreign national wishes to keep living in Japan on a permanent basis with an unlimited period of stay. So, the permission is mainly for foreign nationals who want to change their status of residence. That means foreigners without their status of residence are not petitioners.

Getting a permanent visa for Immediate Relatives is a two-step process: gathering necessary documents and submitting the permanent visa application.

Necessary documents consist of certificates to prove the relation with your spouse or child, a certificate of whole family’s residence, and occupation and income of yourself or your supporter.

In case of application, applicants themselves should appear in person to the Immigration Bureau where they live. But, the following person can submit the permanent visa instead of you: a relative of the applicant who lives together with in Japan and is considered properly by the Immigration Bureau, a visa immigration lawyer (administrative scrivener) and an attorney at law both registered by the Immigration Bureau.

Checklist of Forms and Necessary Documents.

You will need to assemble the following:

FORM

□ Form 34: Application for Permanent Residence (in Japanese)   http://www.moj.go.jp/content/000099654.xls

□ One photograph: 40mm long and 30mm broad, taken within 3 months before, clear front face without a hat, white/blue background, your name on the back side, and attach to Form 34

□ Form Guarantee: with guarantor’s signature or seal   http://www.moj.go.jp/content/000007381.pdf

Documents

□ If you are applying as a spouse of a Japanese national, one copy of your spouse’s family register 戸籍(こせき)謄本(とうほん)（全部(ぜんぶ)事項(じこう)証明書(しょうめいしょ)）

□ If you are a child of a Japanese national, one copy of your Japanese parent’s family register 戸籍(こせき)謄本(とうほん)（全部(ぜんぶ)事項(じこう)証明書(しょうめいしょ)）

□ If you are a spouse of a Permanent Resident, one marriage certificate with your spouse (Japanese translation needed)

□ One residence certificate including you and your whole family living together 世帯(せたい)全員(ぜんいん)の住民票(じゅうみんひょう)

□ You or your supporter’s job certificate：

If you are an employee, one employment certificate from your company.

If you are a self-employed person, one copy of final tax returns from tax office and one copy of business license certificate when needed.

□ You or your supporter’s residence tax certificates: one taxation certificate 課税(かぜい)証明書(しょうめいしょ) and one tax payment certificate 納税(のうぜい)証明書(しょうめいしょ) for the latest one year from a city/ward office.

□ One photocopy of your passport and passport itself

□ One photocopy of your Residence Card and Residence Card itself

□ Guarantor’s job certificate (refer to ” You or your supporter’s job certificate” above

□ Guarantor’s income certificate 所得(しょとく)証明書(しょうめいしょ)from a city/ward office

□ Guarntor’s residence certificate

(Note) All certificates are within 3 months before.

1. Immediate Relatives （IR)
2. Family (Dependent) （FD)
3. Employment-Based （EB)
4. Highly Skilled Professional （HSP)
5. Long-Term Resident （LTR)

1. Immediate Relatives (IR)

If you have close family members in Japan, they may be able to help you immigrate. It depends on whether your relatives are Japanese nationals or lawful permanent residents.

Are You Eligible for a Permanent Residence Card Through Immediate Relatives?

You may qualify for a permanent residence card through Immediate Relatives if you fall into one of the following categories:

–  The spouses of Japanese nationals,

–  The children adopted by Japanese nationals

–  The spouses of those who stay with the status of residence of Permanent Resident

–  The spouses of those who stay with the status of residence of Special Permanent Resident

– The Japan-born children, who have been residing in Japan, of Permanent Residence Holders

–  The Japan-born children, who have been residing in Japan, of Special Permanent Residents

Screening Criteria

(1) The person is of good conduct.

The person always observes Japanese laws. The person’s daily living as a resident does not invite any social criticism. (S)he has been never sentenced to a fine or imprisonment.

(2) The person has sufficient assets or ability to make an independent living.

The person does not financially depend on someone in the society in his/her daily life, and his/her assets or ability, etc. are assumed to continue to provide him/her with a stable base of livelihood into the future. A stable livelihood is assessed by a unit of a family household, not by the person alone.

(3) The person’s permanent residence is regarded to be in accord with the interests of Japan.

– Undesirable foreign people will be against Japan’s public interests, such as people against Japanese culture, economy, and socially accepted idea.The person fulfills public duties such as tax payment and health insurance. There is no possibility that the person could do harm from the viewpoint of protection of public health.

– The period of the person’s current visa (status of residence) must be the maximum period or at least 3 years of stay to be allowed.

– In principle to get a permanent visa (status of residence), the person must keep staying in Japan for more than 10 years consecutively. But, in case of the person who is a spouse of a Japanese national, a special permanent resident or permanent resident, the staying period will be eased by more than 3 years consecutively in a real marital relationship even if the person lives outside Japan and plus more than 1 year to keep staying in Japan. In case of the person who is a true child of a Japanese national, special permanent resident or permanent resident, the period will be shorten by more than 1 year to keep staying in Japan.

Next, you would read “Quick view of how to apply for permanent residence by an immediate relative” including the checklist of forms and necessary documents.