RetireJapan

It's the Japanese art of Kakunin.

Other than the hassle of filling in the re-entry card I think the system is quite efficient. Foreign residents also have the special line in immigration that is shorter than the tourist AND citizen line (although Japanese passport holders have the automated gates now) so its not all bad.

Why is the re-entry permit system needed though? Why not let those of us with the right to live in Japan come and go freely like Japanese passport holders - without the need to fill in fiddly forms and have them stapled to our passports?

Hong Kong seems to manage just fine letting residents in and out with their passports and HK ID cards. No reason a zairyu card couldn’t fill the same role.

zeroshiki wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2024 1:00 am Other than the hassle of filling in the re-entry card I think the system is quite efficient. Foreign residents also have the special line in immigration that is shorter than the tourist AND citizen line (although Japanese passport holders have the automated gates now) so its not all bad.

The zairyu card lane is amazing at smaller international airports. Last time I entered, I was told my Japanese family members should join me. We all sailed through faster than tourists and citizens (travelling without a non-Japanese family member).

[Much better experiences than at Heathrow with British passport or Dubai with UAE residency...]

zeroshiki wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2024 1:00 am Japanese passport holders have the automated gates

You can use those as a foreign resident too, but you have to register for it, and re-register if your status changes. So I've never bothered, but I might give it a try next time.

https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/r ... 00111.html

Step seven of how to use the automated gates is the best part:

https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001394470.pdf wrote:give the officer your passport