The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's judicial panel refused Friday to endorse a government draft bill to tighten the immigration law by fingerprinting foreigners upon their arrival in Japan, saying the law needs to be further strengthened to fight terrorism, party members said.
The decision by the LDP Judicial Affairs Division may affect the content of the bill, as well as its scheduled endorsement at a Cabinet meeting Feb. 24, to be followed by submission to the Diet.
Panel members objected to the bill during a meeting citing "insufficient" measures, particularly limiting fingerprinting to those aged 16 and older, and fingerprinting ship crews at the discretion of immigration officers, they said.
The bill to revise the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law also exempts from fingerprinting ethnic Korean residents of Japan and other permanent residents with special status, those visiting Japan for diplomatic or official purposes and those invited to Japan by the state.
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