Residence Card

Resident Card (Zairyu card)
The Alien Registration Card (外国人登録所, Gaikokujin-torokusho, handled by municipal governments) was replaced by the Resident Card (在留カード Zairyu card, handled by the central government via local immigration bureaus). Please note, like the Alien Registration Card, the Resident Card must be carried with you at all times. The Resident Card features the following: photograph, name, date of birth, gender, nationality, passport number, Residency Status, Period of Stay, expiration date of Resident Card, etc. This information will also be encoded onto an IC chip embedded in the card.

Alien Registration System, Prior to July 2012
As of July 9, 2012 the Alien Registration Card was abolished and foreign residents are required to obtain a Residence Record (住民票, Juminhyo). In place of the Alien Registration Card, foreign residents will receive a Residency Card (在留カード, Zairyu Ka-do) which they will need to carry with them at all times.

Residence Record (Juminhyo)
The Residence Record is part of a registry of current registered addresses kept by municipal governments. Under Japanese law, all citizens are required to report their address and related matters to their municipal government who then compiles the information for tax, insurance and census purposes.

Three Main Points for Foreign Residents and Resident Record

 * Official certificates (such as copies of Resident Records) for households will now list all members, regardless of nationality (up until now, foreign residents were not listed in official household registry records and were listed individually in the Alien Registration System).
 * As Japanese citizens are required to do, after 9 July, 2012 foreign residents will also be required to notify the municipal government of address changes. This is done by submitting a “moving-out notification” (転出届, tenshutsu-todoke) to the old municipal government and a “moving-in notification” (転入届, tennyu-todoke) to the new municipal government. Additionally, when leaving the country permanently, foreign residents will be required to submit a “moving-out notification” (転出届, tenshutsu-todoke) to their municipal government.
 * With the abolishment of the Alien Registration System, “visa” changes to your Status of Residence and/or Period of Stay will no longer have to be reported to your municipal government, but only to the Regional Immigration Bureau.

For Foreign Residents Currently Living in Japan (current JETs)

 * Your municipal government will issue you a “provisional” Residence Record (仮住民票, kari-juminhyo) in May 2012. The details will reflect what is currently on your Alien Registration Card. There is no paperwork required to obtain this provisional Residence Record and you should receive it automatically. If there are any errors in the information, please report to your municipal government.
 * Any changes to your registered details in your current Alien Registration will be reflected in your provisional Residence Record. Be sure to notify your municipal government of any changes to your address, Status of Residence, Period of Stay, etc. After the new system starts (9 July, 2012), address-related changes only need to be notified to the municipal government, and “visa” changes to Status of Residence or Period of Stay as well as other changes (such as name, passport number, etc.) only need to be notified to the Regional Immigration Bureau.
 * Current JETs who leave Japan permanently after 9 July, 2012 will be required to submit a moving-out notification (転出届, tenshutsu-todoke) to their municipal government before leaving Japan.

For Foreign Residents Arriving in Japan after 9 July (new JETs)

 * New JETs arriving after 9 July, 2012 will be required to notify their municipal government of moving in (転入届, tennyu-todoke) within 14 days of arriving in Japan and will receive a Residence Record accordingly.

Changes to the Re-entry Permit System
If you have a valid passport, a valid Resident Card and leave Japan, in principle, you will no longer require a re-entry permit to re-enter Japan with the same Status of Residence as long as you re-enter within one year from departing and your Period of Stay does not expire while you are outside of Japan. Be sure to show your Resident Card when exiting Japan. Your Period of Stay cannot be extended while outside of Japan. Please note, the criteria for applying for the Pension Refund have not changed.

Further Resources
Below are some links containing further info on the Residence Record and Resident Card, including information for those married to Japanese nationals, those with families etc.

Resident Card Related
Immigration Bureau Pamplhets in Different Languages (with Q&A)



Notice from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) http://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_gyousei/c-gyousei/zairyu_english.html English: http://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_gyousei/c-gyousei/pdf/eng_page.pdf Japanese: http://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_gyousei/c-gyousei/pdf/jpn_page.pdf Pamphlets are also available on the MIC homepage in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. Notice from the Immigration Bureau of Japan http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/en/index.html English: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/pdf/NewResidencyManagementSystem-%28EN%29.pdf Japanese: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/pdf/NewResidencyManagementSystem-%28JA%29.pdf Pamphlets are also available on the Immigration Bureau of Japan’s homepage in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish.</li> </ul>