Society

Those with Japan visas expiring in July get extra three months to renew

May 13 (Japan Times) - The Immigration Services Agency of Japan said Tuesday it will give foreign nationals with periods of stay expiring in July a three-month extension to renew, in a bid to alleviate congestion at immigration counters amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The agency had earlier granted a three-month grace period for foreign nationals whose residency status or period of stay expired between March and June, including short-term stayers such as tourists.

The measures were introduced after immigration counters nationwide were crowded with foreign nationals, including short-term stayers, applying for extensions to their stay in Japan, with some of them unable to return home due to tighter border controls across the globe.

With Japanâ€™s state of emergency extended to the end of May, the measures are now expanded to include those with periods of stay expiring in July.

The agency has said foreign nationals who are unable to return home will not be treated as illegal overstayers for 90 days after the expiry date of their visas.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

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Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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