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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. #51
    –é˜IŽ€‹ê! TwistedMac's Avatar
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    Can't belive I haven't seen this part of this thread before...

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    It's PINK! How can you not love a pink ID card?!
    –é˜IŽ€‹ê!

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  2. #52
    Go to shopping PopCulturePooka's Avatar
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    What I dont like about it is what it represents.
    That we are not 'japanese' and that police have the power to stop and ask to see the card without much justification, which is something that Japanese themselves are exempt from. That not having it on you can lead to trouble (once or twice I've left my wallet at home and felt like some wanted criminal).

    Either way I'm not giving it back when I leave next month. MWAHAHAHAHA

  3. #53
    Cute and Furry Ewok85's Avatar
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    I didnt get one during my year in Japan. I moved around at the 3month point and it made things interesting, in the end I was sick of the usual japanese buearacracy crap and just didn't get one. The guy at the airport gave me a nasty look when he noticed I hadn't applied for one, I just shrugged and he let me go.

  4. #54
    The Funky Homosapien. King of Tokyo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TwistedMac
    Can't belive I haven't seen this part of this thread before...

    Iron Chef's piccy!



    It's PINK! How can you not love a pink ID card?!
    Heh. Agreed. I've been known to be a fan of the pink.

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  5. #55
    Junior Member DoctorP's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TwistedMac
    Can't belive I haven't seen this part of this thread before...

    Iron Chef's piccy!



    It's PINK! How can you not love a pink ID card?!

    Mac...you look a little fuzzy...were you feeling bad on the day of your photo?

  6. #56
    Tadaima! okaeri_man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maciamo
    But which countries really have proper ID cards ?... Ireland, Denmark, Japan, the US and I believe Canada & Australia don't have any. What about other countries?
    woah woah woah, back up a bit. australia isn't living in the stone ages here. a driver's licence suffices for everything, and everybody keeps it in their wallet all the time. people can get their L's from the age of 16, so most people over 16 have a valid ID. if however you don't want to drive, you can get a proof of age card to certify you are over 18, which also suffices for everything. no worries, no fuss.

    i think the gaikokujin tourokusho is unnecessary and would agree it is a form of discrimination.
    "The people who vote decide nothing. The people who count the vote decide everything." - Stalin

  7. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maciamo
    Instead of chips implanted in the skin, why not just have a single personal card that act as ID/passport, healtyh care, credit/debit card, and could be used for any club membership too. Actually it's not so difficult technically. I already have a international debit card that can be used as telephone card, and the EU is going to impose a EU-wide health card (that some countries already have, as I do), with a chip that is only readable by special machines that each hospital, pharmacy or doctor should have. So instead of carrying loads of insurance papers, vaccination card, medical history, etc., everything is on the card. It's safer than papers as nobody can read them without the machine.
    I heard that in some countries like Switzerland, they already have card-like passport, where all the visas and "stamps" are added electronically (but not all customs are equipped to read them !).
    That wouldn't e too difficult to combine all of these in a single card. Then all shops and clubs should be equipped with a machine that allow them to add/edit their own memberships, without having access to other data (with password system or something).
    My country is currently trying to implement this. The goverment is forcing everyone to get this new Smarcard IDCard by december 2005. Before it was like the gaijin card with the fingerprints. I heard that card can be used as a ID Card, ATM/Credit card, health card, passport and etc. But I think this kind of card will cause much more worst things if someone able to fraud it, compared to the normal ID card with the fingerprints.

  8. #58
    Banned Rukasu's Avatar
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    Since 1 january we dutch people, have to carry an ID Card around.
    If you don't have it, when the police asks for it, they can give you a €50 fine (about 65 dollars)
    I hate things like that because I tend to forget a lot.
    And it isn't a small price

  9. #59
    Ike Ike! w1ngzer0's Avatar
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    Thumbs up

    Quote Originally Posted by Maciamo View Post
    Easy question, just to get an idea of how other foreigners in Japan feel abbout it : Are you for or against the "gaikokujin tourokusho" (alien registration card) that all foreigners have to carry if they stay more than 3 months in Japan ?
    Some have criticised it as a form of discrimination, even comparing it to the Nazi system with the Jews. I guess that was especially when people had to have their fingerprints on it, but I have never known this system.
    Personally, I see more advantages than inconvenients. It makes it easier to prove one's status, to get official documents or to open a bank account. Japanese tend to be in trouble when asked for official identification to open a bank account, get a video club member's card or apply for a job. As they don't have any identity cards, and most leave their passport at home, they have to get some kind of other official paper, such as insurance payments or family register, but those don't have pictures, so are less reliable and don't always work. But that's quite a hassle as one doesn't normally carry that kind of documents with them. With the gaikokujin tourokusho, no need to keep one's passport in the wallet, nor any other cumbersome documents. Just a little card. I can't think of any drawbacks either...
    Thats silly. How can you compare a green card to the registration of a race? I say go for it. Hell, if it lets me stay in Japan longer then 3 months, then where is the line to sign up for one.

  10. #60
    Œp‘±‚Í—Í‚È‚è bakaKanadajin's Avatar
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    I did not have time to read through this thread and I apologize in advance. I just wanted to toss my 2yen in here quickly as it seems like a fairly cut and dry subject.

    I liked having my Alien card because I was guaranteed entry into bars and clubs, its 'official' ID afterall, and it relieved me of having to carry my passport (a much more important and difficult to replace document) everywhere. I lost my wallet in Roppongi one night and after all the headache of getting things replaced I really appreciated not having lost my passport that night.

    As for the idea of being 'marked' or discriminated against.. well you don't need to carry something in your wallet to be discriminated against or to stick out, you're a gaijin!! But, it can't be helped, in many cases its rare and unintentional, so just be patient and set a good example if you're stopped by your local police officer

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