📅 This article was written on Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Hello 👋
I’m Hiroshi Kawana, an administrative scrivener 🙇♂️✨
🏋️♂️ On a personal note, I’ve recently started going to the gym 💪
I’m not an athlete, so what matters is consistency.
The same goes for this article — “steady effort brings results” 📈
No need to rush. Let’s take our time🌿
👀 What Is “Illegal Entry”?
Those who enter Japan without a valid passport,
or who possess one but enter without obtaining landing permission,
are considered illegal entrants 🚫✈️
This also includes those who continue to stay in Japan illegally afterward —
the so-called overstayers ⚠️
⚖️ Illegal Entrants vs. Overstayers
Here’s the key difference 💡
-
Illegal entrant → already illegal at the moment of entry ❌
-
Overstayer → entered lawfully, but stayed beyond the authorized period ⏰
In short, it depends on whether the act was illegal from the beginning.
Also, illegal entrants are not eligible for the Voluntary Departure Program 🚷
🚢 What Is “Illegal Landing”?
When someone enters Japan without general landing or special landing permission,
that’s called illegal landing 🔍
It’s distinct from “illegal entry.”
You might think, “That’s such a tiny distinction!” 🤔
But the law is built upon precisely these fine-grained logical frameworks 🧩
🇯🇵 Japan’s Current Labor Reality
Japan is facing an unprecedented labor shortage 😰
Almost every industry is struggling to find enough workers.
Relying on foreign nationals to fill those gaps is one option 🫱🌍
And of course, working in Japan offers benefits for foreigners too 💰🤝
At first glance, it seems like a win-win situation — but is it really?
🤔 Is That Really Okay?
Tasks that Japanese people avoid,
and jobs shunned by people in other developed countries —
should we simply pass them on to foreigners?
And what about the burden placed on
the 99.7% of Japanese businesses that are small or medium-sized enterprises 🏭?
That’s another serious issue.
🌱 What Needs to Change…
Even SME owners have issues to reflect on.
Is it really fine to keep operating under the traditional system 🏢?
Shouldn’t we create workplaces where young people can dream ✨
and pour in their passion 🔥?
I may sound like I’m grumbling 😅
but I truly believe this:
Japan can build a better future together with foreign residents 🌈
The road ahead is challenging, but hope is very much alive 🌸
See you next time! 👋🌞
📖 Reference
Yasutsugu Yamawaki (2020)
Practical Guide to the Immigration Control Act and Management of Foreign Labor
Japan Kajo Publishing
📣 You can also consult via LINE!
📱 Feel free to add us as a friend👇
🔗 https://lin.ee/9jrPDizj
🏢 Kawana Gyoseishoshi Office
🌐 https://kawana-gyosei.com/
🎥 YouTube Channel
▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@kawanaFRE/shorts