The House of Councilors Committee on Judicial Affairs passed a bill Thursday allowing immigration authorities to bar soccer hooligans and antiglobalization activists from entering Japan for the 2002 World Cup soccer finals.
The bill, which would entail revisions to current immigration laws, will likely be submitted to the House of Representatives after its adoption by an Upper House plenary session today.
It stipulates that soccer hooligans and activists who have been convicted of or expelled from a country for disrupting international conferences and competitions can be refused entry to Japan.
It also facilitates the expulsion of foreigners who engage in soccer hooliganism after entering the country.
In response to a rising trend of break-ins and car crimes involving foreigners, the bill also allows authorities to deport any foreigner facing a prison term of up to one year for theft or breaking and entering.
Opposition parties have criticized the amendment, saying it could restrict the activities of nongovernmental organizations.
The Justice Ministry had been considering measures to restrict the entry of activists with a background of protesting at international conferences in the wake of the violence at July's Group of Eight summit in Genoa.
One man was killed in clashes between demonstrators and police during the summit.