Fake residence cards proliferating as more foreigners overstay visas

Crime groups have sought out foreigners through social media

Yakuza and Triads in cohorts probably.

From the UK media last week, counterfeit Covid certificates of testing are already available in the UK, and are have been used by travellers. Virtually every kind of documentation is available now for a fee.

In July, a Chinese man and a Chinese woman were arrested for allegedly counterfeiting a residence card for a Vietnamese man 

Shame on this Chinese couple for preying upon dirt-poor Vietnamese people who will do anything to stay in Japan and have a comfortable life compared to back home. They were probably supporting their families back in Vietnam and got desperate.

I hope the NPA come down on these crime syndicates like a ton of bricks.

the truth is Japan needs lots of workers why dont they let in more Vietnamese in as they dont have any anti Japanese sentiments or radicalization bt a very very hard working people.

If the government want workers, increase the allotted workers, seems pretty simple, no need to fake cards if you can get one? The old right wing don't want admit they need workers so here we are, fake cards fake response nobody is responsible just those Penske foreign people who fake cards because the rules allow them to come but don't allow them to be legal, dumb is dumb and Japan's government is No1 at being dumb while blaming others. Do they want/ need workers? Apparently yes. Do they make it easy No.

dirt-poor Vietnamese people who will do anything to stay in Japan and have a comfortable life compared to back home. 

Amazing. And I thought this was only the thinking of the older generation. And where would Japan be without these workers?

This comment reminds me of Trump who was once asked to give an example of sacrifices he’s made, to which he answered, “I hire people.”

I don't know much about the tech side of this system, but authorities are supposed to cross-check IDs for verification once foreign residents get registered into data bank.

cover for companies to import cheap labor, have sought to purchase forged residence documents because they want to be able to work in jobs other than those available

I believe this is the primary reason for the success of the business. Just like the intern, that wasn't qualified, but was forced to do the radiation scanning for the Fukushima area because none of the qualified employees wanted to take the risk.

The real story is not the face residence cards. The real story in this news piece is at the end of the article and is restated below.

Poor labor conditions for foreign workers have contributed to a rise in offenses involving fake residence cards, said an official from a company that helps Vietnamese people find work in Osaka.

In particular, interns working under a technical internship program, which has been criticized as being a cover for companies to import cheap labor, have sought to purchase forged residence documents because they want to be able to work in jobs other than those available through the government-sponsored program, experts said.

The market for the fake residence cards seems to be driven by the exploitative "trainee programs" which Japan uses to import and exploit cheap labor.

This does not excuse those manufacturing the fake documents but the bigger picture is not so rosy

Y5000 seems pretty cheap for one of these cards doesn't it?

Previously Japan use foreigners card that becoming now as residence card, even currently it has chip in it but visually speaking there's not much improvement, in such way that it can be difficult to counterfeit but easy enough to notice when it's fake.

The market for the fake residence cards seems to be driven by the exploitative "trainee programs" which Japan uses to import and exploit cheap labor.

It's only half-true, as many Vietnamese trainees were "ripped off" at home by local brokers prior to their arrivals into Japan. And Japanese hosts are often unware of this problem, namely about their debts. It's a lose-lose program. I'd suggest a direct intake of those potential workers on working visa of a new category alongside residential permit. That would be simple, fair and reasonable.

@noriah: You are correct as I believe exploitation occurs at both ends. Neither are acceptable.

I say eliminate the "foreign trainee" program completely and replace it with a proper visa category for such workers. I believe in this case we are saying the same thing.

I am not sure if this would solve the issue of the fake residence cards. Should they microchip us (foreign residents of Japan)? Kidding of course. It is probably impossible to prevent such forgeries 100%

Lock them up and then deport them. This country doesn't need cheaters or fraudsters.

Japan should help Vietnam build a country where its citizens don’t have to go abroad for better paying jobs. As for China, how is it that people from the second largest economy in the world have to find jobs in the third largest economy?

Virtually every kind of documentation is available now for a fee.

University degree is available for B2000 in Bangkok.

¥5000 is cheaper than I paid for my legitimate gaijin card. They must be very thrifty.

deport them.

Lets hope Japan keeps these “workers” on short term visas and not make the mistake that many European countries did by allowing them to stay for ever.

5,000 Yen a piece was very cheap. Anyone can afford it.

Remember, carrying faked ID card was criminal offense and can be arrested and deported. Overstay will not arrest by Police in Japan uncle the neighbours report to the Immigration.

Funny Suga just visited Vietnam and now a story about overstaying seems someone wants workers but not not legally"

 I say eliminate the "foreign trainee" program completely and replace it with a proper visa category for such workers. I believe in this case we are saying the same thing.

Agreed, and I don't mean to defend the current (de facto) immigration policy for "unskilled" workers. I've long been critical on Japan's trainee program which allows a backdoor entry without proper references, without serious local support.

As for China, how is it that people from the second largest economy in the world have to find jobs in the third largest economy?

Check GDP per capita as well as Gini coefficient for the PRC.

Amid an acute labor shortage due to its rapidly graying population and declining birthrate, Japan created a new visa system in April 2019 to attract more blue-collar workers from overseas, marking a major policy shift from its traditionally tight immigration intake.

Acute labor shortage, more like high demand for cheap labor. Most factories here Japan are now manned

by vietnamese. It is ridiculous, companies are replacing factory contract workers and temp staffs with Vietnamese to cut labor cost and expecting their products to be bought by people that they have laid off and replaced with Vietnamese.

It’s so freaking funny that a provincial Yakuza chapter now can’t compete against a Chinese counterfeiting couple or a Vietnamese shoplifting gang. Both small Chinese or Vietnamese criminal enterprises yearly rack a million dollars in profits, while Yakuza waste all the times to act cool and hit innocent bystanders.

The shadow banking industry, operated by both Chinese and Vietnamese, is secretly a billion dollars tax evasion operation that sends remittances to the respective countries.

What’s funny that the Japanese government was aware of the issue and preferred to look the other way.

https://www.tokyoreporter.com/crime/vietnamese-nationals-accused-of-running-underground-bank/

Just like this case of a Vietnamese man operates a multi-million dollars banking program. Later, he was released and never demanded to compensate the Japanese government for tax evasive money. This guy is one of thousands of shadow banking groups in Japan who are legally immune. Because Japan is terrified of China and politically allied with Vietnam.

My final point from this very long anecdote is that we in the West overrated Yakuza so much to overlook the Chinese and Vietnamese. In fact, the FBI said that we have overrated the Latin American cartels, while the Chinese triads and Vietnamese syndicates slip through our fingers.

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/meth-syndicate/

El Chapo isn’t on level of this Chinese guy. Any Yakuza boss isn’t on par with El Chapo.

They must be only able to pass site expections since the number has a quick formula police can run to check if the number is valid number issued.

Why is this situation happening ??? .

Among 29 residence statuses in Japan, the most highly sought-after cards are those provided to permanent and long-term residents who are permitted to engage in any kind of work and switch jobs at will, they said.

Yeah, it might be the most sought after but the Japanese government will lock you out of your adopted home for half a year while they almost let in foreign business men and women in first before you.

¥5000 is cheaper than I paid for my legitimate gaijin card. They must be very thrifty.

Good point. The cost for the revenue stamps to the immigration office for my permanent residence visa was 6,000 yen + a few thousand yen to the local city office for confirmation of residence certificate, tax and pension payments certificates, etc. Even then, I till have to pay to replace the card every seven years to update my photo. I expected the black market version to be going for a lot more.

why doesn't Japan just extend their visas? They're clearly needed and employers are employing them, so should be automatic

If so many foreigners are overstaying due to jobs, then the root cause is the system itself meaning Immigration and those who set the rules. Time for change but as many know in Japan it means everyone will pay a price.

I would love to work in japan, but am told only native Japanese speaking jobs available, and from what I have read not many of the workers from Asia speak it either.

5,000 yen is a bargain. Once again, foreigners can offer things cheaply, not just food.

I was stopped at 10 pm walking home in a residential part of Tokyo 2 months ago and asked for my zairyuu card the only reason given was that there were a lot of foreigners in the area. I saw plainclothes police hanging around Ebisu station and stopping a foreign guy for no apparent reason.

Lot of foreginers or is it because look foreigners? There is a story about half person of Japanese national being treated like that, it covered in the news last year.

https://twitter.com/zainulabaden/status/1177857308988018688

rgcivilian1

If so many foreigners are overstaying due to jobs, then the root cause is the system itself meaning Immigration and those who set the rules.

Those trainee and also tokutei ginou their visa are being tied with specific industry and company, that they are working, even during pandemic there are some lay off but in another industry there is need for worker but it's not that easy to simpy swith their job, because the rules.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Japan-immigration/Foreign-workers-left-high-and-dry-in-Japan-s-coronavirus-economy

This has been an ongoing problem in Japan for decades. In a country that brags about its technology it’s seems ridiculous that they haven’t addressed this with technology to prevent the cards and registrations being faked.

Richard Raymond KullmanToday  02:41 pm JST

I would love to work in japan, but am told only native Japanese speaking jobs available, and from what I have read not many of the workers from Asia speak it either.

I don't know where you live and maybe you have heard nothing but good things about working here but you may be better off where you are now. On the surface, Japan may seem like an ideal destination but many companies exploit workers, force you to do unpaid overtime and generally treat you like chattel.

I hate to say this, though the Chinese are the best here at circumventing the rules.

The CCP also has not targeted Japan (yet) with its virus, etc, since many of their Cohorts are actually here and have significant investments here...

All gov’ts look to look & act tough even when they’re shooting themselves in the foot. Japan is no exception. Must show sovereignty. We’re tough. Nothing else behind this.

@Do the hustle, I just think even the crude method of telephone inquiry direct to the immigration office to check out the visa status of all foreign workers would put a stop to the production of fake alien cards and documents.

@Pukey 2, how can we really be sure that they were asking ¥5000 only? For all we know it's higher just to avoid a higher and a longer penalty.

@Dr. Lucifer, so true. My contract wasn't extended in the guise of the pandemic but the company keeps on hiring not Vietnamese trainees but students who work in 2 factories for a total of not less than 48 hrs a week. They are able to make a run around on a loophole of the law. Yet as students they don't add up to the coffers of the social security system while we who are technically dismissed from jobs taken by them are bilking the govt coffers via the unemployment insurance. I have a feeling that those behind this is out to destroy Japan.Just imagine the money being collected by the social insurance office would become lesser while more people will be asking for unemployment insurance. I won't be surprised if from being number 3, Japan would slide to 4. There's dirty politics behind all of these acts and from my own experience, some senior members of the company are in cohorts with the company managing foreign trainees and Japanese language students. They simply couldn't resist charming, young and beautiful Lolitas!

Old trick but still alive.