Tokyo: The government plans to grant special residence permission to some 200 children whose parents are foreigners and who were born and raised in Japan but do not qualify as residents of the country, Jiji Press learned Thursday.

The plan to let such children stay in Japan under certain conditions, such as having no family members with records of serious crimes, is expected to be announced by Justice Minister Ken Saito as early as Friday, according to government and ruling camp sources.

The move came as worries are growing that children who have been living in Japan their entire lives might be sent back to the home country of their parents under the revised immigration control and refugee recognition law, enacted in June.

The revised law, which has yet to take effect, enables forcible repatriations of foreigners if they have applied for refugee status three or more times.

As of the end of December 2022, of all foreigners who had refused to be repatriated even after their deportation was decided, 201 were children aged 17 or younger who were born in Japan.

Such children without residency status can receive education in Japan but are not allowed to leave the prefecture they live in without approval.

The special residence permission will expand their rights to some extent.

The government plans to give special permission to those whose family members have no criminal records other than illegal stay. About 70 to 80 pct of the roughly 200 children are expected to receive the permission.

The government will proceed with work while paying attention not to break up families.

During discussions on a bill to revise the immigration control and refugee recognition law, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan asked the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to come up with relief measures for the children.

In response, the LDP added “children’s interests” to circumstances that require consideration in giving special residence permission under the immigration law, hinting at providing the children with the permission.

The party, however, canceled the addition after the CDP withdrew from the discussions.

“We’d like to somehow save children without residency status,” Saito told a press conference after the deletion of the addition.

The Justice Ministry will work hard to “draw a conclusion as early as possible,” he said.

JIJI Press