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...