Aug 21 (Japan Times) - Immigration authorities revoked a record 832 visas in 2018, more than double the figure of a year earlier, Justice Ministry data showed Monday.
The most common reason was ceasing to conduct an activity permitted by the visa category. A further 100 people lost their visa because they obtained it by misrepresentation or fraud.
In 393 cases, or 46.5 percent of total, individuals either remained in Japan after their term expired or they failed to apply to change the visa status within three months of ceasing a permitted activity. Among these were 298 students who dropped out of school but did not leave and technical trainees who stopped showing up to work.
People married to a Japanese national who divorced but failed to change their visa also fell under this category.
In all, 218 lost their visas because they were engaged in activities other than those permitted. This figure represented a more than eightfold increase from the 25 cases in 2017. The ministry has launched a crackdown on foreigners suspected of such violations.
Students accounted for the biggest share, with a total of 412 having their visas revoked, many after they were found to be working part-time. Another large group were foreign nationals who traveled to Japan under the Technical Intern Training Program.
Overall, the figures represented a sharp increase from 385 in 2017 and 294 in 2016.
