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Fingerprint requirement for foreigners entering Japan infringes on human rights
Akahata editorial (excerpts)

The ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei Parties are rushing to have the House of Councilors enact a bill this week to amend the Immigration Control and Refugee-Recognition Law to require foreigners entering Japan to submit fingerprint information on the pretext of detecting terrorists upon arrival in Japan.

The bill entails a very serious violation of human rights. It will also hamper international exchanges if enacted.

Overreaction

The proposed bill will force foreigners (excluding minors 16 and younger and permanent residents in Japan since the prewar period) to provide the authorities with their personal fingerprint information with photograph and authorize the justice minister to order foreigners identified as "terrorists" to be deported.

In Japan, public authorities are only allowed to take fingerprints of suspects with a warrant issued by the judge or suspects under arrest. About 7 million foreigners visit Japan a year. Under the bill, almost all of them will be considered to be criminals and will be forced to be fingerprinted and their photos taken.

Previously, Japan had the system of taking foreigners' fingerprints based on the alien registration law. However, the law was abolished in 2000 as the result of the struggle over many years by foreign residents in Japan working with human rights organizations.

During this struggle, the Supreme Court made a clear judgment that in the light of Article 13 of the Constitution, state authorities are not allowed to force anyone to be fingerprinted without sufficient reason, and that this guarantee of freedom should be equally applied to foreigners residing in Japan. Thus, the proposed bill is an attempt to reverse the wheels of history.

Even the United Nations has failed to clearly define who terrorists are. The bill includes cases in which there are "potential dangers" of terror, thus enabling arbitrary interpretations. There is danger that foreigners having nothing to do with terrorism will be suspected and their rights seriously violated.

Anti-terror isn't almighty password

The irresponsible thinking that everything is possible in the name of anti-terror measures is common to the "crime of conspiracy" bill which is a modern version of the Public Order Maintenance Law. We must not allow the Koizumi Cabinet and the ruling LDP-Komei group to have their way in total disregard of human rights.
- Akahata, May 15, 2006