Unless you've just made it to this corner of the world in the last couple of weeks, you're probably well aware of the new visa guideline that's scheduled to go into effect in April 2010. Because of this guideline, foreigners who wish to renew their visa and who are required to be enrolled in social health insurance will be asked to present their social health insurance cards to Immigration officials.

Now, many foreigners have jumped to the "inevitable" conclusion that not having said insurance will equate to ultimately having no visa either. But, like so many other things in Japan that tend to be a bit obscure, the new guideline fits into a very "gray" category.

It should be clarified, however, that this guideline is not a law, nor was it created in the Diet as were the new immigration laws. Indeed, this is a completely separate issue that was not spawned by Immigration. It was created on June 22, 2007, by the Cabinet Office's Council for the Promotion of Regulatory Reform, under the Shinzo Abe Cabinet. In actuality, it is merely a guideline mentioned in a report. Laws are created in the Diet by way of a majority vote. Therefore, any revision of this guideline would not require a vote in the Diet. The guideline in question is actually one of a list of eight. Immigration is merely following the guidelines contained in the report — well, somewhat.