QUOTE
To stop the decline in Sado Island's population, the Niigata prefectural government is considering allowing foreign immigrants who wish to live on the island in the Sea of Japan to more easily obtain permanent residency.
The local government will request the central government in fiscal 2006 to ease criteria for immigrants' residence status to live on the island by designating it as a special district zone for structural reform.
Niigata Gov. Hirohiko Izumida announced the idea at a prefectural assembly meeting on Friday, and Sado Mayor Koichiro Takano agreed to the idea.
The prefectural government has considered giving foreigners permanent residency or long-stay permits with the proviso that they deposit or invest a certain amount of their assets.
Similar measures exist in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, among others.
In Japan, the Immigrant Control and Refugee Recognition Law makes it difficult to introduce such a measure because the law categorizes visa statuses into fields such as official services, arts and education and prohibits visa holders from doing anything unrelated to the fields.
In addition, the duration of stay for holders of Japanese visas, except diplomats, is for a maximum of three years per visa, and it is difficult to obtain permanent residency because visa holders have to meet strict conditions, such as having stayed in the country for a certain number of years or contributing in some way to Japanese society, in order to obtain such status.
The Niigata prefectural government will ask the central government to make Sado Island a special district where foreigners can receive permanent residence status with no job restrictions as long as applicants deposit a certain amount of money in Japanese banks.
The local government will specify the conditions for granting such status and discuss details with the Sado city government. "We'd like to look into a practical solution and actively promote the plan," Takano said.
The population of Sado Island peaked in 1950 at 125,000 people. Since then, the number has declined due mostly to an outflow of young people. In 2005, about 67,000 people lived on the island, according to the latest census data.
The local government will request the central government in fiscal 2006 to ease criteria for immigrants' residence status to live on the island by designating it as a special district zone for structural reform.
Niigata Gov. Hirohiko Izumida announced the idea at a prefectural assembly meeting on Friday, and Sado Mayor Koichiro Takano agreed to the idea.
The prefectural government has considered giving foreigners permanent residency or long-stay permits with the proviso that they deposit or invest a certain amount of their assets.
Similar measures exist in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, among others.
In Japan, the Immigrant Control and Refugee Recognition Law makes it difficult to introduce such a measure because the law categorizes visa statuses into fields such as official services, arts and education and prohibits visa holders from doing anything unrelated to the fields.
In addition, the duration of stay for holders of Japanese visas, except diplomats, is for a maximum of three years per visa, and it is difficult to obtain permanent residency because visa holders have to meet strict conditions, such as having stayed in the country for a certain number of years or contributing in some way to Japanese society, in order to obtain such status.
The Niigata prefectural government will ask the central government to make Sado Island a special district where foreigners can receive permanent residence status with no job restrictions as long as applicants deposit a certain amount of money in Japanese banks.
The local government will specify the conditions for granting such status and discuss details with the Sado city government. "We'd like to look into a practical solution and actively promote the plan," Takano said.
The population of Sado Island peaked in 1950 at 125,000 people. Since then, the number has declined due mostly to an outflow of young people. In 2005, about 67,000 people lived on the island, according to the latest census data.