Japan to spot counterfeit residence cards for foreigners with new app

In 2018, Japanese authorities made 620 arrests for the use or possession of residence cards for counterfeit foreigners, nearly 1.6 times more than in 2017.

In the face of its increase, as well as the continued growth in the number of foreigners residing in the country (around 2.83 million in June last year), the Japanese government plans to develop a smartphone app to quickly identify forged residence cards.

The application will allow you to read the data stored in the chips of the cards and check if they match the information contained in them, such as the name and the state of residence.

To read the chip, the telephone must be held on the card.

The residence card contains the name of your carrier, as well as your date of birth, your nationality and your immigration status.

The Japanese authorities have detected that the hologram on the surface of the card has been forged, but not the chip.

What do foreigners who use counterfeit cards do? Access jobs that your visa type does not allow, stay in Japan even though your visa expired or sign home loan contracts.

The government plans to launch the app by the end of the year and expects it to be used by companies that recruit foreign workers. (International Press)