Two Iranian families with a total of three children filed a lawsuit Friday at the Tokyo District Court demanding that Justice Minister Okiharu Yasuoka withdraw his rejection of their applications for special residence permits.
They are among a group of five families who have overstayed their visas and jointly filed petitions with immigration authorities Dec. 27 to remain in Japan.
On June 30, the minister granted a four-strong Iranian family living in Gunma Prefecture special permission to remain in Japan, but he turned down requests from the rest of the families the same day.