Going snowboarding in Japan? Prepare to be fingerprinted...

[sock_monkey 0]

[rant]

IMHO, it's not 'shoganai'. These are serious breaches of privacy, autonomy and civil rights.

 

I won't travel to the U.S. under those kinds of restrictions and am reluctant even now (Canadians are still exempt from most of the new U.S. requirements). I was considering a vacation to Japan next year but will consider other options. I'll make sure to write a letter to the Japanese Tourism organizations to explain my choices.

 

I've traveled to 3 communist countries in the last few years and yet even under those totalitarian regimes I was never fingerprinted. This behaviour is repugnant to me. Claims of increased security are complete shams. This sort of xenophobia and fear mongering are disgusting displays of intellectual and moral bankruptcy on the part of the government(s). I want no part of it.

 

To me 'shoganai' is one of the least attractive traits in Japan. The reality is that these things happen because they are allowed to happen. Raising your voice is easy and small gestures do make a difference when made in large numbers. I understand many people can't stop going to Japan (or leave) but many of us can make a choice with actual economic consequences. Those who can't should at least express their displeasure if only to encourage others who share their beliefs.

 

[/rant]

[bushpig 0]

While I sympathize with your views there Sock Monkey, comooon! A few people not coming because of fingerprinting is hardly gonna change anything. It really won't have such a huge economic impact. I personally wouldn't pass up a trip to somewhere I wanted to go just because of the threat of being fingerprinted at customs. I daresay most people are just like me. It's a pain in the arse, and we don't like it, but you wouldn't not go there because of it.

[Fattwins 0]

SM you sound smart all of the sudden!

[quattro 1]

Have been fingerprinted, photo taken and checked on by many people. One more group of fat heads is not going to make a diffrence

[thursday 1]

Get with the program people. UK passports are now biometric. You don't like it? Then don't be a UK Citizen.

 

Finger printing in Japan is about 2 decades behind. It should've been done long ago with the illegal immgration probs that they've had. It took a brave politician to come up with this one.

 

If you don't like it, you have a choice.

[Davo 1]

I don't like this either but perhaps it won't be so bad if it's well organised.

 

It'll annoy me if it means my Japanese family is delayed and inconvenienced because one of of us isn't a safe and trustworthy member of the tribe. Somehow it seems wrong to me that Japanese citizens may be descriminated against like this. Of course this may not happen but if it does I'll be happy to add my voice to complaining about it.

 

Meanwhile it's interesting to see all the gaijin bashers getting off over it. Some ex-Giants player was creaming himself over how it would cut down on gajin crime in the papers last week. That's actually what the law is about anyway.

 

Thursday, residents with families don't have a choice and there are no brave politicians in Japan, they're just a bunch of slimy, corrupt, elitist fools.

[thursday 1]

if you're a citizen of a country and the common collective have decided, then what recourse would you like to persue?

 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. It makes the (your) country safer.

[Fattwins 0]

Thursday do you really believe that? If the North Koreans can sneak in then so can anyone that truely wants to. America deals with more than 1,000,000 people just crossing the boarder so you dont think terrorists dont know that?

[Ezorisu 0]

I don't really see a problem with the whole fingerprinting thing - Other countries already do this. Yes, I know that "just because everyone is doing it doesn't make it right". I do see the point that doing this (in any country) doesn't necessarily do anything toward "combating terrorism" or "stopping illegal immigration". It's really just a "tit-for-tat" to maintain parity with US immigration regulations.

 

I can see this causing a slight delay in getting through the immigration queue. As a frequent visitor, I know my data is already in their database, since once they swipe my passport through the reader and my profile comes up, all they generally do is double-check my "residence address in Japan" (which is the same all the time) and I'm out of there. The first time through with the new laws, all they'll do is add my picture and thumbprint to that existing profile, so I can see that adding say another 30-45 seconds to the process. On subsequent visits, I'm pretty sure all they will do is verify the picture on my existing profile and update/verify the thumbprint. I'm sure Japanese immigration will be using similar technology to the US electronic thumb-swipe reader.

 

Maybe I'm lucky in that because of point of origin, I'm generally one of less than a dozen people on my flight that is in the "foreign passports" line, so my wait is generally shorter than returning citizens.

[projectsplat 0]

mmm that is the catch. according to the reports I have read, it will need to be done EVERY TIME you enter the country.

 

the reasoning behind this is the dubious story from the Japanese minister for Justice who had a "friend of a friend" of his who is a member of al-qaeda who was able to enter the country several times under different false passports.

side note: apparently this "friend of a friend" also gave him dates relating to bombings in Indonesia... if you ask me, this justice bloke should probably be locked up for consorting with members of a known terrorist organisation, but that is another story.....

 

this process is designed to make sure that the person whose name is on the passport matches the person who is holding the passport, which means that for the system to work, they will need to check your fingerprints every time you enter the country.

 

I sort of agree with Sock Monkey - getting fingerprinted at the airports does suck, and it makes me less inclined to travel to japan on pleasure - especially if it puts me in danger of missing my connecting flight. yes, I have to travel to japan on business, but when on business, i am getting paid to buck it up. on my personal time however, I prefer not to subject myself to this.

 

anyone keen for a trip to Gulmarg??

[skichef 0]

That's my trip cancelled. I do not agree with the 'Forced' collection of this style of information.

Do not follow the American way.

The Japanese are moaning enough as it is oveer the lack of tourists. The ski areas need visitors, but they moan about the Aussies.

Don't visit Japan. Ski Europe instead.

[skichef 0]

tubby beaver. it's the index finger they want. You are right. it takes long enough to get through immigration as it is.

[skichef 0]

Ezorisu,

Only American takes you 'prints' by force. No other country takes prints.

[tripitaka 0]

The Japan Times had a reply from an anonymous govt official about it today. The reasoning was so off the mark that I cast serious doubts on the letter's authenticity. The letter mentions that discouraging people from coming to Japan is good for other Asian countries (by keeping skilled labour from coming to Japan) and preventing English-speaking foreigners from getting caught up by suspect English schools.

 

It's difficult to believe that a high-ranking official would say something so ridiculous.

[Go Native 70]

I see it as purely a political gambit. The Japanese government has been spreading propaganda about foreign crime for years and of course being the mindwashed sheep that they are the Japanese have accepted it all. Such measures will appeal to the xenophobic masses in this society and that's the only reason they are doing it...so they appear to be tough on us big bad gaijin.

[skichef 0]

The British passport only has a digital photo, no finerprinting. You still have to send in a normal style photo, thet just copy it.

No new Laws made today in England. No new restrictions on our freedom.

 

'If it's free, tax it' and 'If there is something you like to do, they will make a Law against it'

[tsondaboy 0]

Almost all EU countries have biometric or are in the process of changing to biometric passports. Canada and Aus still don’t have them?

Aren’t we being hypocrites by just bashing Japan about fingerprinting when we do absolutely nothing to change it in our own country?

EU at this point is building up the biggest police data base in the world, and will include information not only about immigrants but also about ALL EU citizens!

 

 

[tsondaboy 0]

England has more serious problems to deal with. At least being a foreigner in Japan you are not in danger of being shot 9 times in the head just because you are running to get on the Subway.

[projectsplat 0]

 Originally Posted By: tsondaboy

To bring back the thread from a month ago.

http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/240374/fpart/3

Cheers for that. I did do a search, but came back with nothing, so I thought I was in the clear. Oh well. This topic appears to have generated some more discussion since it has now been introduced.

So has anyone been through the ringer yet? I am quite keen to find out what delays there are (if any).

[HelperElfMissy 42]

I remember this type of debate reigning when there was the Australia Card issue...people object to what they see as thier freedoms being taken from them - they object to unnecessary invasion of privacy, and they object to waiting.

 

Believe me - for the last 21 years I have worked State and Federal Elections in the polling booths - I hear the complaints, and I see them scrawled across ballot papers at the end of the day.

 

ANYTHING that people do not choose to do they get ticked at.

 

The world has gotten smaller - thanks to the internet, high speed jets and mobile telephone technology. Heck - my 14 yr old called me for permission to go out from Perth when I was in China! Nanna was in the NEXT room!! But now, with an air of threat to our lifestyles and our safety we collectively feel the need to sure up our borders and protect what is ours.

 

I don't blame the Japanese Government.

 

I would just like to feel reassured that the data they collect will be stored safely and used properly. And I would like to think that one of these immigration officers could crack a smile once in a while! So far the only immigration officers I have seen smile are in Perth (and that includes other Aussie immigration stops).

[Ezorisu 0]

 Originally Posted By: projectsplat

mmm that is the catch. according to the reports I have read, it will need to be done EVERY TIME you enter the country.

I still see it only adding 30-45 seconds to the process...

[thursday 1]

if you've ever come through HKG, we have thumbprint reader gates to get through immigration automatically with the press of a thumb.

 

Very convenient.

[skidaisuki 0]

Mamabear - with respect, if had been resident in Japan for years and had paid millions of yen in tax during that time, you might feel rather more aggrieved at this measure than you do as a casual holiday visitor. Even permanent residents (usually resident for at least 8-10 years) are not exempt from this indignity.

 

I'm glad it's not putting you off visiting (nor should it) but it's a scandal all the same.

[Kingofmyrrh 0]

That japantimes article is unbelievable...

 

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20071120a1.html

[tsondaboy 0]

For people that may not be familiar, this is what Oz requires from visitors/residents that enter or want to live in Oz:

 

http://www.immi.gov.au/immigration.htm

 

Which includes Japanese that want to travel in Australia