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View Poll Results: Are you for or against the "gaikokujin tourokusho" ?

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  • For : it's convenient (even Japanese should have one for this reason)

    40 60.61%
  • Not sure

    17 25.76%
  • Against : I just don't like the concept of having to carry an ID with me all the time

    6 9.09%
  • Dead against : that's blatant discrimination !

    3 4.55%
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Thread: For or against the "gaikokujin tourokusho" ?

  1. #26
    Samurai Golgo_13's Avatar
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    The hijackers of the 9/11 attacks had gotten into the U.S. on student visas, and they disappeared. Had there been closer tabs kept on foreign students, the situation might have been different. Americans do not object to such a tighter registrations of non-immigrant aliens in the U.S.

  2. #27
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    If I go to Japan and I stay for 10months, do I need to get this card right when I get off the air plane? Also where do I get this in Kyoto area?

  3. #28
    Finally Enlighted One Buddha Smoker's Avatar
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    I would think so but to be honest...I'm not really sure.

    Also, you usually get it from the local city hall where you live.

  4. #29
    Dog Youkai playaa's Avatar
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    It's not a bad thing in my opinion, for identification purposes.. I think everyone in all countries should have to have them.
    "Kanpeki to chau, jinsei no shuushi
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  5. #30
    Hullu RockLee's Avatar
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    I'm used to having my ID since I was 12 so I don't mind... and yeah it's damn handy for gaijin
    ~ Parempi hullu kuin tylsä - Better crazy than boring ~
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  6. #31
    Dog Youkai playaa's Avatar
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    I would much rather carry an ID card around rather then a passport book. ;)

  7. #32
    Finally Enlighted One Buddha Smoker's Avatar
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    It's nice to have sometimes and really convient and yes, it's alot better than a carrying a passport all the time.

  8. #33
    Twirling dragon Maciamo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RockLee
    I'm used to having my ID since I was 12
    Being Belgian is quite a gap to being American or Japanese regarding legal rights and obligations.

    In Belgium, people are required by law to carry ID cards at all time (except foreigners - that is the opposite of Japan).

    Furthermore, most people also have a credit or debit card since they are teenagers (from 12 years old), while I think Japanese have to be 18 or 20 (?).

    In addition, people must vote at the election, which is why Belgium is one of the few developed countries to have a turnout close to 100%.

    Finally,Belgium is also of of the few countries in the world where there is no minimum legal age for drinking or smoking, which contrast very much the law in Japan (20) and the US (21 to 25 ?).

    In short, Belgians have more freedom for drinking, smoking and using debit cards, but must carry ID cards and vote at elections. I think it is a good system and should be the same everywhere - except that I would make the ID cards optional instead of compulsory.

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  9. #34
    Finally Enlighted One Buddha Smoker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maciamo
    Being Belgian is quite a gap to being American or Japanese regarding legal rights and obligations.

    In Belgium, people are required by law to carry ID cards at all time (except foreigners - that is the opposite of Japan).
    At what age, do they have to start carrying the ID card? Since birth or a certain age, etc..? Also, the voting starts from what age?

  10. #35
    Hullu RockLee's Avatar
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    Yep that's true....BUT...

    I think it should be better if the limit for drinking and smoking is at 18 because kids are TOO young for smoking and drinking....and I think in JP that system is better...as for the rest....I still want to live in JP


    @buddha : from age 12...and voting from 18 years

  11. #36
    Finally Enlighted One Buddha Smoker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RockLee
    I think it should be better if the limit for drinking and smoking is TOO young....and I think in JP that system is better...as for the rest....I still want to live in JP


    @buddha : from age 12...and voting from 18 years
    Thanks, chummer. I think being made to vote is pretty harsh.

  12. #37
    Samurai Golgo_13's Avatar
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    Why would anyone be AGAINST this? Unless they plan to commit crime in Japan.

    I was in Japan for only 10 days last month as a tourist but I filled one out on the plane before it landed in Japan. It didn't seem to violate any of my rights.

  13. #38
    Finally Enlighted One Buddha Smoker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Golgo_13
    Why would anyone be AGAINST this? Unless they plan to commit crime in Japan.

    I was in Japan for only 10 days last month as a tourist but I filled one out on the plane before it landed in Japan. It didn't seem to violate any of my rights.
    Everybody is talking about the Japanese Registration card for foreigners that live in Japan. I think you might be confused with the customs form...

    But you first two statements fit perfect

  14. #39
    Hentai Koutaishi Lina Inverse's Avatar
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    Not sure... over here it's quite common to have your passport with you (or at least your passport), so that wouldn't bother me.
    What would bother me though is being singled out

  15. #40
    Finally Enlighted One Buddha Smoker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lina Inverse
    Not sure... over here it's quite common to have your passport with you (or at least your passport), so that wouldn't bother me.
    What would bother me though is being singled out
    But the "gaikokujin tourokusho" is lot easier to carry than a passport. It's like credit card size so it fits nice into the wallet.

  16. #41
    Oni me no Riven. Riven's Avatar
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    Well, France doesn't have as much freedom as Belgium in theory, but here, kids can get drinking and smoking at any age.
    Even if French ID cards are a little big, they are smaller then passport. As I always had one, since I was baby, I really wouldn't mind of having one in Japan. I think that every one should have one in Japan (natives and aliens). We also have health card that is used as a credit card, but it is not to pay, it is to be payed back.
    Not to have a huge wallet, many people have a little booklet with only cards, very easy to carry.
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  17. #42
    Finally Enlighted One Buddha Smoker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Riven
    Well, France doesn't have as much freedom as Belgium in theory, but here, kids can get drinking and smoking at any age.
    Even if French ID cards are a little big, they are smaller then passport. As I always had one, since I was baby, I really wouldn't mind of having one in Japan. I think that every one should have one in Japan (natives and aliens). We also have health card that is used as a credit card, but it is not to pay, it is to be payed back.
    Not to have a huge wallet, many people have a little booklet with only cards, very easy to carry.

    I think it is slowly changing that way here...some insurances places are switching to cards instead of the books...about the same size of the Alien Card.

  18. #43
    Hentai Koutaishi Lina Inverse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buddha Smoker
    But the "gaikokujin tourokusho" is lot easier to carry than a passport. It's like credit card size so it fits nice into the wallet.
    I don't know what sort of passports you have, but ours are quite handy. This is what they look like:

    Front side (about original size)

    of course without "Muster" (sample) written over it

    Back side

    Travel passport (back above, front below)


    More info about the passport (security features etc.)

  19. #44
    Yancha-Kunoichi Chipi's Avatar
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    Im getting mine at the end of this month, so I dont have any experiences with using it yet...if though, that means I dont have to carry my passport with me all the time then yes, I really do support the card. Also because my passport is allready 6 years old so it has a terrible picture of me as a teenager
    I do have one question though...if I have to prove my age (Im 23m,but people often think im 19 or 20 at most), is the alien reg. card enough?

    Luc - I got mine from this office..or I will get it. This nice man (like my japanese uncle allready or something) took me there by car so I dont know the address now, but I can ask, or wait until I get my card and then send you the address. It might be though, that you should go to another office - it depends on where you live I think...maybe someone else knows better? (I live near Saiin in Kyoto)

    When you go to the office in the first time, you fill out this form (just your name, etc), and give 2 passport pictures. Then they will give you this paper what shows you when you can go and get the card . (at least for me its during one exact week).

  20. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by Luc
    If I go to Japan and I stay for 10months, do I need to get this card right when I get off the air plane? Also where do I get this in Kyoto area?
    You have to have one if you are staying for more than 90 days (the length of a tourist visa). You get one by going to the ward/city hall (kuyakusho/shiyakusho) where you live and apply for one. There's usually a special counter for it. When you leave Japan, you have to present it to the immigration officer (they will also demand it if you want to re-enter but forgot to get a re-entry permit).

    Quote Originally Posted by Buddha Smoker
    It's nice to have sometimes and really convient and yes, it's alot better than a carrying a passport all the time.
    It used to be a booklet, too big to stuff into a standard wallet. It changed into a card some time ago.

    Quote Originally Posted by Maciamo
    In addition, people must vote at the election ... Finally,Belgium is also of of the few countries in the world where there is no minimum legal age for drinking or smoking, which contrast very much the law in Japan (20) and the US (21 to 25 ?).
    The U.S. is 21 (National Minimum Purchase Age Act of 1984), but sellers are required to check IDs of anyone up to, what, 27 or 31 or something. And BTW, what happens if you don't vote in Belgium?

    Quote Originally Posted by Buddha Smoker
    I think it is slowly changing that way here...some insurances places are switching to cards instead of the books...about the same size of the Alien Card.
    Man, I hope so, at least with the National Insurance (kokumin hoken). It is way too big to carry around in your wallet--and WAY too dangerous to carry in a place it might fall from or get lost. Did you know that if someone gets that thing, they can use it for identity theft and you can be most thoroughly cleaned out?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chipi
    I do have one question though...if I have to prove my age (Im 23m,but people often think im 19 or 20 at most), is the alien reg. card enough?
    I'm pretty sure that would be a "yes." The gaijin card is an official ID, and if you don't have a drivers license, then that would be the document you would carry, as a foreigner.

    Are you asking in regards to buying alcohol? Never heard of anyone carded for that here in Japan. I once saw a 10-year-old kid buy beer, and though it was most likely for his dad and probably the shopkeeper knew the family, it still would never happen in the U.S. ...

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  21. #46
    Finally Enlighted One Buddha Smoker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BlogD
    Man, I hope so, at least with the National Insurance (kokumin hoken). It is way too big to carry around in your wallet--and WAY too dangerous to carry in a place it might fall from or get lost. Did you know that if someone gets that thing, they can use it for identity theft and you can be most thoroughly cleaned out?
    My wife and kid's insurance that they get from her company changed to the card as of April 1. All places were suppose to change but you know how that is...things take time. I have the Kokumin hoken too and I still have the paper booklet too but I heard that it might change next month or so to the card size one.

    LOL...yeah, I've heard a few stories about stolen identity but never experienced it first hand.

  22. #47
    Comfortably Ignorant Faustianideals's Avatar
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    I like the idea of the card.

  23. #48
    Okama XD Kama's Avatar
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    Post

    BE WARNED: it's a long boring post about Polish system...


    In Poland we have ID cards from childhood. You get your first, when you enter elementary school, and when you change schools, you get another one. On the School ID you have your photo, birthdate, address of school and home addres. You have to carry it around you mostly if you go to school by bus (we have half-fares for pupils and students) or sometimes all the time, if there is a bodyguard in the school, he may ask you to show ID that you are from this school. I carry my student ID all the time with me, as i go by bus to the university.

    Next one is adult's ID card. You have to get it if you are 18 years old Polish citizen. They might ask you to show iot while buying alcohol/cigarettes if you don't look 18 or over. They usually want this ID while opening a bank account or fill in some other documents/applications. Now there are credit-card like IDs (which I really don't like it, since I'm not taking my adult's ID card with me almost never, and it's laying somewhere in my room - try to find it if it's small... XD) - a new ones - and old ones: booklets. There you have your PESEL number (if you were born in Poland, you HAVE one - the format is like this: 55120100220 [the person was born 01.12.1951 and is a girl] - this 7 numbers are from my PESEL. Numbers 7-10 shows sex (the last one counts). Even are for girls, odd are for boys. The last one is control number.) Of course there is home address. In the booklet, you have also stamps from work to certify that you are working. In the credit-card there isn't [at last it's not written, maybe it's coded, but I don't think so].

    Driver's license can certify your identity (since you have photo there), but nothing else. If you are driving car you have to have driver's license AND ID card. Now the driving license is alco credit-card like, but since they did license and ID cardds some years have passed, it's not combined. [I don't think it will be combined soon]. Ah, our health books are only used in hospitals, it isn't used to identify person. In some places there can ask you to bring TWO documents with your photo. Dunno why.

    The foreingers don't have to carry passport all the time, althought it would be handy and let him avoid any problems with police etc. If they want to have half-fares, they have to carry ISIC (?) card.

    So I wouldn't bother to have registration card in Japan unless I wouldn't be a person of the second-category by having it. I wouldn't like to have my fingertip on my ID - I'm not a criminal!!

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  24. #49
    I! TwistedMac's Avatar
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    mark me up for one of those cards! i love being special and anything i can get to prove i am i want XD
    I!

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  25. #50
    Banned Mike Cash's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ahazmaksya
    *Agrees*. Foreigners should just be able to use the same identifcation as the Japanese use, there is no need to be singled out
    Foreigners can use the same identification the Japanese do. The gaijin card isn't meant to be some all-purpose identification card. When I am asked for identificiation, I normally use my driver's license.

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