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Starting in July of 2012, a new foreign resident registration system will be introduced. This system will be different from the old Alien Registration System, which will be abolished once the new system takes effect. Under this new system, foreign residents will be issued residence, or zairyuu, cards and will be included in the resident register of their local communities.

Here are some of the benefits of this new system:

1 – Foreign residents will now be able to obtain a residence register, a document that verifies residence, which is identical to those issued to Japanese citizens.

2 – If a foreign resident reports a change of address to their local town or city office, the system will automatically update the corresponding information on their national health insurance registration and other related services.
3 –  If a foreign resident changes their residence status or period of stay at an Immigration Bureau, their town or city offices will automatically be informed of the change. It will no longer be necessary to report these changes directly to your town or city office.

Four. Procudures involving changes in address will be conducted entirely at a resident’s local town or city office. Like Japanese citizens, foreign residents will now be required to obtain a proof of address change certificate, or tenshutsu shoumeisho, from their town or city office before moving. This document may be obtained approximately 2 weeks before your moving date if your new address has not yet been determined. Within 14 days of moving into your new residence, you must submit your proof of address change certificate to the town or city office with jurisdiction over the community that contains your new residence.

If you are moving to a new residence within the city or town in which you currently live, you will need to submit your proof of address change certificate to your current town or city office within 14 days of moving in. Please remember to bring your resident card with you when applying for and submitting these documents.

Starting in May of 2012, town and city offices will begin sending requests to foreign residents asking for confirmation of information contained in their alien registration record. If the information contained within the request is correct, no additional procedures are necessary. If the information sent to you contains errors, or needs to be updated, please visit your local town or city office.