Asahi Shinbun: What price security?

[rumpel]

BY YUSUKE KANNO, MANABU SASAKI AND SHINJI INADA
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
Although Japan and Britain are both island nations, they are worlds apart--not just geographically, but in their approach to the threat of terrorism.

Both governments became targets of al-Qaida for supporting the U.S.-led war against terror. The two countries are now tightening immigration controls in their battle against terrorism.

While the measures being introduced are similar, the intensity of debate over related legal revisions is like oil and water.

In May, Japan's Diet passed a bill requiring all foreign nationals aged 16 or over--with the exception of state guests and those with special permanent resident status--to be fingerprinted and photographed upon arrival.

Despite the controversial nature of the legislation, debate in the Diet was low-key. Interest among the general public was lukewarm, at best.

In March, Britain passed legislation requiring all passports to contain biometric data such as irises and fingerprints. But that transpired only after heated debate and repeated revisions and rejections.

snip

Opposition lawmakers also expressed concerns about using the U.S. firm Accenture to set up the new border control system using biometric data. They said they feared data recorded in Japan might become available in the United States.

Last fall, Accenture won a bid for only 100,000 yen to develop an experimental system that allows holders of IC cards with fingerprint data to pass through automatically operated immigration gates.

Accenture also developed the fingerprint data-management system for the U.S. government that tracks all foreign nationals entering the country.

The U.S. firm is also involved in the development of systems for tax authorities and public prosecutors in Japan.

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200607250162.html

[Oversea Visitor]

1. Depending on the road one take

The result will be different.
Both Japan Britian and Australia got a bill to foot for a long long time.

It is one of choice.
Make a wrong choice and OOPS ........ FUBAR.

In the first place they do not have a security problems.
But sadly now they will always wrong about PAYBACK.
Nothing comes free in this world.

As for US, oh dear they need to look in mirror and history.
There no end to all this unless one willing " Stop the TALK, Stop the WALK "
Maybe start "Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk to PEACE "

[rumpel]

2. Hi, oversea visitor

Japan recently took my nephew's permanent resident status. He is half Japanese, but just because he was 2 hours late in renewing the documents, and they just did not want to budge.

Paranoia is sweeping, and creeping everywhere - especially when "certain people" with an agenda try to exploit the situation.

Yes, walk the talk to PEACE.

[Art_from_Ark]

3. That doesn't sound right

Once you get permanent resident status in Japan, you don't have to renew it. The only thing you have to renew is your re-entry permit.

You might be confusing this with reapplying for a time-limited resident permit, but even then they don't count the minutes-- you just have to renew by the expiration date on the resident card. If you try to renew the day after it has expired, though, then you run into difficulties.