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second video arcade guide. should be all of the top cades on the yamanote.
doing the chikatetsu guides is gonna be a bitch =/
So take my story as a word of warning to anyone who wants to go to Japan.
I have a pot conviction from 1997 - that’s right, 14 years ago. It was a petty misdemeanor for “possession of a small amount of Marjiuana.” The fine was $50.
I informed the Japanese consulate when I applied for the Visa. They approved my application and granted me the visa.
I flew to Tokyo/Narita on Dec 29th. Upon landing, I checked “yes” to the question “Have you been convicted of a crime in Japan or any other country” - of course I would check the box, I told the Japanese consulate all about it when I applied for my Visa and it would illogical to not tell them about something I had already told them about, right?
I was detained and questioned. They brought out a thick blue lawbook and made me read (in English) a paragraph that stated anyone that has ever had a conviction for a drug crime will be denied landing (entry) into Japan. I was sent back to the US on the next flight.
The immigration inspector did not have a copy of my Visa application. He did not care that I had informed the consulate. He was polite but unrelenting in stating “The Law is the Law.”
I have no doubts that if I had lied from the beginning, I would be in Japan living my dream, and I would not be losing $5500 in scholarships because I can no longer complete the study abroad program. The Ministry of Justice that controls immigration/entry apparently does not have any real connection to the Japanese consulate/system that issues Visas. They would not have known about my record if I hadn’t have checked that box.
The situation is soul-crushing as well as extremely embarrassing. Again and again I have to explain to family and friends why I’m not in Fukuoka right now. I also have no home, and have been living with a cousin until I can get my car (which is 5 hours away) drive 4 hours to where my university is, rent a new place to live, drive back 4 hours to get my shit (it’s all in storage in my hometown), and register for classes (which start one week from today). This whole mess could have been avoided if I had lied.
Hopefully my story will help others make decisions that will help them get into Japan.
i need someone with a yahoo jp account to ask a seller a question about one of his items, anyone able&willing to do this>?
nikkos: I really don’t know what to say other than I’m sorry. It’s quite shocking that they’d hold a 14-year old offense on you. I know Japan is pretty strict about drug-related crimes, but this is ridiculous.
Just… wow. My condolences.
Dude, I’m so sorry to hear that. Can’t imagine how pissed you must be.
I’m more surprised why it wasn’t stricken from the record. I mean, you musta been younger than 18 when you did that right? I know over here once you’re 18, your slate is wiped clean but I guess that doesn’t fly in the US.
Immigration control has no connection to the Japanese system that issues visas? They can’t be serious.
wow… that sucks… my condolences, man.
I appreciate the messages, I just want to give everyone a heads-up if they’re planning on going to Japan. Alot of us on this forum are huge fans of some aspect or another of Japanese culture and want to visit at some point. This info might help them avoid what I went through.
I’m 32. I was 18 when the offense occurred. And yes, it seems the Ministry of Justice and the Department that issues Visas are not on the same page. To use a US analogy, it’s as if the State Department issues you a visa but ICE says “no dice” when you get here. It’s a whole pile of bullshit,
Now that it’s Monday I’m seeing some silver linings, I didn’t get completely fucked on my train (shinkansen) tickets - JR East only charged me $50 instead of the full $300 ticket for a no-show. Also the group that controls the large scholarship is having some pity on me and isn’t requesting return of the whole scholarship - they’re leaving me with some to help defray the costs of my flight.
Dude, that is soul crushing. I would feel like someone died.:shake:
And yeah. The moral of the story (no matter how many people refuse to admitt it) is that the truth almost always does more harm than good.
same thing happened to paris hilton… it was on the news…
just like when you go sign up for the military, you have to check every box as “no”, stipidity is not a crime, so you can always say that I didn’t know that and i thought it was a bad health question so i checked no…
sorry for that though man… sucks major ass.
nikkos010 - Basically speaking, there is almost zero-communication between different departments of government. That’s why you have to go to a million different places to get shit done here. I really wish I would have heard about this earlier, I could have advised you on what to do.
Check your PMs, I might have a solution for you.
BBQ - If you want to take JLPT N2 within the year, see how well you can handle these sample questions http://www.jlpt.jp/e/samples/n2.html That site explains the JLPT as well so check it out.
Also if you have trouble getting proper textbooks due to cash flow, availability, whatever, check out http://www.mlcjapanese.co.jp/Download.htm. The material is for the older JLPT but still useful, since you might as well learn it all anyway.
Logia - Afraid so…
Immigration Control = Ministry of Justice
Immigration Visas = Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Getting a visa doesn't mean you can stay in Japan, it's just one of the requirements to entering Japan. The visa immediately becomes invalid once "landing permission" has been granted and the "landing permission" becomes the legal basis for your stay in Japan. I realize people usually say things like "switching the type of visa" and "extending a visa" but in law this actually a "change of status of residence" and an "extension of period of stay" respectively, and applications are handled by the Ministry of Justice.
tl;dr - You don’t get visas in Japan, only from outside via your local Embassy/Consulate. Therefore they are handled by Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Once you’re in Japan, you’re no longer a “foreign affair” but rather an Alien under Ministry of Justice jurisdiction.
The story above is easily the most tragic I’ve heard yet this year. I truly feel for you…
That kinda makes sense, in a retarded kinda way. So say I come to Japan on a student visa, when it expires, it’s actually my ‘landing permission’ expiring at not the visa? Or maybe you mean a general visa? Eitherway, weird stuff.
Thanks for the JLPT link! Might be thinking of taking N3 in Summer, though we’ll see how lazy I’ll be by then, haha.
Damn dood, I’m sry bro! Is there anyway your school can refute any of this?
Attention All: FinalRoundBats (Japan) 08 is this Saturday! If you want to come and you have a FB account plaza RSVP here and if you are coming with someone plz let us know as well.
THX!
Hey Nikkos man, for real WRITE THAT SHIT UP for the Japan Times man, that is seriously a scandal and outrage.
Is there no statute of limitations, so to speak, on past offenses? Or has anyone who has, ever, been convicted of a crime, not allowed to visit Japan?
That is fucking North Korea level right there.
Immigration control and Refugee Recognition Act
Chapter II
Section II
Article 5
Subsections:
(4) A person who has been convicted of a violation of any law or regulation of Japan, or of any other country, and has been sentenced to imprisonment with or without labor for 1 year or more, or to an equivalent penalty except for those convicted of a political offense.
(5) A person who has been convicted of a violation of any law or regulation of Japan or of any other country relating to the control of narcotics, marijuana, opium, stimulants or psychotropic substances and sentenced to a penalty.
There is no sunset clause. If I were 90 and the offense occurred when I was 18, the 72 years of clean living would not matter.
Even if your sentence is “stayed” and you don’t actually serve time (very common occurrence for misdemeanors), the fact that your punishment included a sentence of 1 year means you cannot enter the country. Also, while the general rule is that misdemeanors are punishable by a year or less in jail, that “year” mark is the magic number for denial to entry.
I also got the impression from the Immigration Inspector and the translator that a probation order of 1 year or more would also prevent entry under the “equivalent punishment” clause, though that is just my own feeling. I might be a little cynical.
I’m taking the steps I can. We’ve figured out that my Visa was issued based upon the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) that was issued by the MOJ - the problem is the Japanese University filled out that application without consulting me or the representatives from my University. They marked the “no criminal record” box on that application - which led the MOJ to issue the Certificate. The Japanese consulate likely didn’t even look at my application and simply issued the visa based on the COE, which started the mess. I and my University issued a direct statement to the Japanese University that clearly points out their responsibility for this mess - if the COE app was filled out correctly, we would have known of any issues in October, not when I landed.
I’m also hoping that an immigration lawyer in Japan responds to my inquiry. Maybe he will have suggestions on how to pursue this - if it’s even possible.
I’ll call him today and see if I can talk to him or his brother. Stay tuned.
UPDATE
I just got off the phone with him and he said that the mail was long and entirely in English so it was difficult for him to process. I told him that I would talk to you about it.
Now, I don’t know how much Japanese you know or what resources you have, so this is entirely up to you - If you want to trust some stranger on the internet with your personal shiz, maybe you could send me the email and I can translate it into Japanese and explain the situation to him?
UPDATE #2
I’ve sent you a PM with a translation of your original email so fire that off to my Immigration lawyer buddy. When you get the reply from the lawyer and if that is in Japanese, please just forward it to me and I will translate it for you.
I hope he will be able to help you but if not, please let me know and I will ask my other lawyer friends in Tokyo. They’re NOT immigration lawyers I am afraid but they have been dealing with foreigners and getting foreigners out of Japanese jails. It wouldn’t hurt to try all the possibilities, I reckon.
Out of curiosity, if I was in Japan, what’s the probability of me finding a black chick?
Astronomically low.
seriously you must be Skynet and HAL 9000 merged together.
we need to get you a wintermute-signal like batman.
It kinda seemed the foreign women in Japan had just as much yellow fever as the foreign men did. If not more…