TOKYO —The number of foreign nationals staying in Japan after their visas expired was down 18.8% from a year before to 91,778 as of Jan. 1, 2010, slipping below 100,000 for the first time in 21 years, a Justice Ministry survey showed Tuesday. The number of people overstaying their visas has been falling after peaking at around 300,000 in 1993.
An official at the ministry’s Immigration Bureau said the introduction two years ago of a biometric system using fingerprints to verify identity contributed to the downtrend. The biometric verification system has prevented re-entry of those who illegally stayed in Japan in the past and is a strong deterrent against illegal entry, the official said.
By nationality, 21,660 South Koreans were staying longer than allowed as of Jan 1, followed by 12,933 Chinese, 12,842 Filipinos, 4,889 Taiwanese and 4,836 Thais, according to the survey.
The number of foreigners who were given deportation orders in 2009 totaled 32,661 with Chinese accounting for 29.2% of the total, topping the list for the seventh consecutive year.
The number of foreigners who were refused entry at ports or airports dropped 33.5% from the previous year to 4,780 in 2009, including 617 who were turned away based on biometric verification, according to the survey.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Wednesday it had banned nine more apparently Chinese-made cosmetic products because they were found to contain dangerous levels of mercury.
The government regulatory agency tests of the facial creams, seven advertised as cure for freckles and two others as "skin-whitening," prompted the latest advisory.
"Collected on separate occasions at various establishments, (they) contain heavy metal (mercury) exceeding the allowable limit of one part per million," the advisory said.
The FDA issued a similar warning two weeks ago for three other creams, all bearing the Jiao Li brand.
Bureau director Nazarita Tacandong said on Wednesday four of the nine other creams bore the same Jiao Li brand. The others were Xin Jiao Li, Jiao Liang, Xin Jiao Liang, Jiao Mei, and Jiao Yan.
They were imported without government authority, she said, and ordered them seized. She also warned shops stocking these products that they faced criminal prosecution.
this is a very important reminder for those buying and selling cosmetics without proper FDA or government authorization.
maging din po sana itong isang babala sa mga nagbebenta ng produktong Zhen de Shou dito sa TF.
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Mercury-laced cosmetics seized from Negros stores
Maricon Gebusion-Dematulac, FDA food and drugs regulation officer, said on Monday that they seized last week 15 packs Jiaoli Miraculous Cream and seven packs of Jiaoli 2+1 7-day Clearing Facial Spots cream.
Dematulac said the seized products were two of the three cosmetic products identified by the FDA, formerly the Bureau of Food and Drugs as containing harmful levels of mercury.
She said the FDA has banned the sale of these two products and the Jiaoli Huichusu Special Cut Genuine.
“We are continuing to monitor all outlets to prevent the sale of such products,” Dematulac said.
In a separate advisory, the FDA also cautioned the public against buying and using the Zhen De Shou Fat Loss Capsule and Zhen De Shou Fat Loss Tea.
The FDA said both Zhen de Shou products were not registered with the agency.
Pag-IBIG expands mandatory coverage to include OFWs
MANILA, Philippines—The government housing finance institution has expanded its mandatory coverage to include Filipino workers from formal and informal sectors here and abroad, it was learned Monday.
The Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF or Pag-IBIG Fund) made the announcement in a press statement issued Monday, after its chief executive officer Jaime Fabiaña met with overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong to inform them of the passage of Republic Act 9679 (or the Home Development Mutual Fund Law of 2009), which took effect last month.
Membership of OFWs used to be voluntary under the old Pag-IBIG Overseas Program, with terms of five, 10, 15, and 20 years.
However, OFWs in the former British colony did not welcome this development. Members of Gabriela-Hong Kong opposed the mandatory Pag-IBIG coverage, calling it as another government scheme to try and “milk” them of their money.
The OFWs’ opposition to the universal coverage forced Fabiaña to tell them that they won’t be forced to become Pag-IBIG members, said Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, chairperson of Gabriela-Hong Kong, in a statement. She said her group will hold a rally Sunday, February 7, to call for the scrapping of this provision in the law.
Nevertheless, Fabiaña still tried to sell the idea to OFWs. “Be a Pag-IBIG member and secure a bright future for yourself. Your savings with the Fund earn double and even... [Read More]
The Immigration Bureau is planning to change a new guideline for foreign residents to ease concerns that those without social insurance will be forced to choose between losing their visa and entering the insurance system.
SENDAI —The Sendai Bar Association has issued a protest after the Sendai Family Court declined to appoint a lawyer with South Korean nationality as an arbitration board member without consulting with the Supreme Court.
While the Japan Federation of Bar Associations asked the top court last March to allow the naming of people with foreign nationalities as members of such boards, the Osaka and Kobe family courts have subsequently rejected appointing lawyers possessing South Korean nationality. The local bar association in Sendai recommended 15 lawyers last month for the family court’s conciliation committee handling divorce arbitration and other issues, but the family court rejected one appointment as the lawyer does not possess Japanese nationality, according to the lawyers’ group.
Another form of racial descrimination in Japan. Approved by Federation of Bar Association but rejected by family courts. Although born and raised in Japan. For what reason?
TOKYO —Seven Bank, a Seven & I Holdings Co arm, will start overseas remittance services, possibly from fiscal 2010 which begins in April, from accounts at the bank to preregistered overseas accounts. Seven Bank, which runs a network of more than 14,000 automated teller machines at convenience stores and elsewhere in Japan, said it will offer the service in conjunction with Western Union, a major remittance service provider of the United States.
The bank said it believes there must be sizable demand for such remittance services, particularly among foreign migrant workers in Japan, as about 2.2 million such workers are in Japan at present. At present, major commercial banks in Japan charge around 5,000 yen per remittance. Seven Bank said it expects to cash in on substantial demand as it plans to charge less than those competitors.
Those who have or open an account at Seven Bank will be able to send money overseas around the clock from the bank’s ATMs or via its website if they register information on recipients’ accounts beforehand, it said.
The recipients will be able to withdraw money at more than 350,000 business locations being operated or supervised by Western Union worldwide.
Migrant workers in Japan are estimated to send some 1 trillion yen a year overseas, including money transferred... [Read More]
MANILA —A 59-year-old Japanese man was shot dead during an armed robbery south of the capital Manila, police said Saturday. Police said Hiromi Honda was riding in a jeepney Friday morning in Dasamarinas town, Cavite Province, when five armed men held it up.
When one of the gang tried to rob Honda, he resisted and fled from the vehicle. The robbers then gave chase and fired at him repeatedly. Honda, a resident of a village in Dasamarinas town, died instantly of several gunshot wounds, police said. The robbers took from Honda a necklace and belt bag containing an undetermined amount of cash and valuables, police said.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Two weeks after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti, the numbers have mounted. The numbers tell stories of death and destruction, as well as a global outpouring of aid.
CNN has compiled the latest, most reliable figures available as the devastation continues to unfold:
THE TOLL 150,000: Latest estimate of the death toll, from the Haitian Health Ministry. The European Union and the Pan American Health Organization, which is coordinating the health-sector response, have estimated the quake killed 200,000 people.
194,000: Number of injured
134: Estimated number of people rescued by international search teams since the quake
TOKYO — Tokiko Goto, 55, mother of former Morning Musume member Maki Goto, 24, died on Saturday night after falling out of a third-floor window of her Edogawa Ward home, police confirmed Monday.
Tokiko came home at about 10:30 p.m. after going out drinking and chatted briefly with Maki before heading up to the third floor. Tokiko fell out of the window of her son’s bedroom - who is currently in prison for a robbery and assault committed in September 2007 - about half an hour later, falling some seven meters to the ground below.
MANILA, Philippines (8th UPDATE) - A Nomad plane of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) crashed in a subdivision in Cotabato City late Thursday morning killing 9 people and injuring one.
Lt. Col. Gerardo Zamudio, PAF spokesman, confirmed to ABS-CBN News that Maj. Gen. Mario 'Butch' Lacson, commander of the PAF's 3rd Air Division in Zamboanga City, and 7 other personnel on the plane, were killed in the crash.
The 7 other PAF personnel who died were:
+ Lacson's staff officer Maj. Prisco Tacoboy;
+ Aide-de-camp 2nd Lt. Alexander Ian Lipae;
+ Sgt. Maria Rose Lamera;
+ Sgt. Ian Mejia;
+ Pilot Captain Gaylord Ordonio;
+ Co-pilot 1st Lt. Angelica Valdez; and
+ Crew chief Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Gozon.
For actively helping Japanese-Filipino youth, a Tokyo-based Filipino teenager was chosen to represent the world's youth in the upcoming World Economic Forum's (WEF) annual meeting in Switzerland.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said Carmina Mancenon will join five other youth leaders who will take part in the forum in Davos, Switzerland on January 27-31.
"Ms. Mancenon is a 16-year-old student of K International School Tokyo who is actively involved in volunteer work through organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Ajisai Senior Home, Second Harvest, Free the Children, Model United Nations and her school's tutor program," the DFA said in a statement posted on its Web site.
SAITAMA —Saitama Gov Kiyoshi Ueda said Tuesday he is opposed to a planned bill aimed at granting permanent foreign residents in Japan the right to vote in local gubernatorial, mayoral and assembly elections. The cabinet of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is considering tabling a bill to that end during the ongoing 150-day regular session of the Diet.
‘‘I have long been opposed to such a bill. I don’t think it is a matter to be decided by a majority of votes (in parliament,)’’ Ueda told a regular news conference. Ueda, who was once a member of the House of Representatives from the Democratic Party of Japan currently headed by Hatoyama, said he cannot understand why third-, fourth-, or even fifth-generation foreign residents would not seek Japanese nationality. He was apparently referring to Korean residents in Japan.
Timog Forum
TOKYO —The number of foreign nationals staying in Japan after their visas expired was down 18.8% from a year before to 91,778 as of Jan. 1, 2010, slipping below 100,000 for the first time in 21 years, a Justice Ministry survey showed Tuesday. The number of people overstaying their visas has been falling after peaking at around 300,000 in 1993.
For actively helping Japanese-Filipino youth, a Tokyo-based Filipino teenager was chosen to represent the world's youth in the upcoming World Economic Forum's (WEF) annual meeting in Switzerland.
