Full Breakdown
Japan Expands Inter-Ministry Patrols to Curb Illegal Foreign Labor
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Measures and Planned Patrols
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan announced that, beginning as early as October, its officers will join inspectors from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) on patrols of demolition and construction sites under the ministry’s jurisdiction. The agency is also evaluating joint operations with the Environment Ministry, which oversees outdoor storage facilities for waste plastics and scrap metal, and with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, where illegal labor spikes during planting and harvesting periods.
Legal Framework and Enforcement Limits
Under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, foreign residents must carry their residence cards at all times, and immigration officers are authorized to demand presentation of those cards. Local municipal officials, who regularly assist in site inspections, do not possess the legal authority to verify workers’ immigration status, even when unauthorized labor is suspected. The agency’s plan therefore relies on sending immigration officers directly onto patrols to enforce the card-carrying requirement.
Scale of the Problem
The agency reported that more than 70 % of foreign nationals who entered deportation procedures last year were found to have been employed illegally. In response, the Justice Ministry unveiled a “Zero Illegal Immigrants” plan in May, pledging intensified crackdowns on businesses that facilitate unlawful employment.
Inter-Agency Coordination Strategy
Joint on-site inspections will be coordinated with local municipalities that have already established regulatory ordinances for their areas. The Environment Ministry’s involvement targets storage sites identified by officials as hotbeds for illicit work, while the Agriculture Ministry will focus outreach and monitoring during peak seasonal labor demand. These collaborations aim to create a unified front across sectors traditionally vulnerable to illegal hiring.
Expected Impact and Challenges
Officials anticipate that embedding immigration officers in routine site patrols will enable swift identification and removal of undocumented workers, advancing the “Zero Illegal Immigrants” objective. However, the limited enforcement power of municipal staff and the dispersed nature of high-risk sectors—construction, waste storage, and agriculture—pose ongoing challenges to achieving comprehensive compliance.