# I just moved to Tokyo - Alien Card anyone?



## listerd

Hi - I just moved to Tokyo on a spouse visa and basically I must register for a Alien Registration Card. Seems very straightforward or am I wrong?

Has anyone reading this done that before?

And what do I need etc?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!


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## april

Take yourself down to your local ward office. Fill in a form on the counter, take a number, wait for a while, show them your passport with visa in it, sit back down and wait for a while longer, be called back up and they'll either give you a piece of paper there and then to say that you have applied for an alien card or they will tell you when to expect it in the mail.

A few weeks later you will receive another letter telling you to go and pick up your card.

That is what my experience was.


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## larabell

I just thought of something else that might be of interest to anyone who stumbles across this thread in a web search. When you register at the local city/ward office, be sure to use your full name. The city/ward office doesn't much care what name you use as long as it more-or-less matches the name in your passport. For example, my full name is "Joseph Leroy" but they let me register as "Joe" (and my business cards say "Joe" because that's easier for most Japanese to pronounce and remember).

But... when I rented my current apartment, the building management company insisted that I sign the lease with my full name. They also wanted me to use a registered seal but the city/ward office won't issue a seal registration in any name other than that under which you're registered. So I simply had them change the name on my registration to use my full name.

That's when the fun started -- and it continues to this day. If you use multiple names in Japan for things like bank accounts, utilities, telephone, alien registration, etc, it throws some organizations into a tizzy. In some cases, you can't have a bill paid automatically from a bank account if the names don't match. You can't use tax returns to prove income when applying for a loan if the names don't match, etc...

The Moral: Register under your full name and use that same name for everything. Otherwise, you'll end up having to game the system for almost everything you do.


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## listerd

larabell said:


> I just thought of something else that might be of interest to anyone who stumbles across this thread in a web search. When you register at the local city/ward office, be sure to use your full name. The city/ward office doesn't much care what name you use as long as it more-or-less matches the name in your passport. For example, my full name is "Joseph Leroy" but they let me register as "Joe" (and my business cards say "Joe" because that's easier for most Japanese to pronounce and remember).
> 
> But... when I rented my current apartment, the building management company insisted that I sign the lease with my full name. They also wanted me to use a registered seal but the city/ward office won't issue a seal registration in any name other than that under which you're registered. So I simply had them change the name on my registration to use my full name.
> 
> That's when the fun started -- and it continues to this day. If you use multiple names in Japan for things like bank accounts, utilities, telephone, alien registration, etc, it throws some organizations into a tizzy. In some cases, you can't have a bill paid automatically from a bank account if the names don't match. You can't use tax returns to prove income when applying for a loan if the names don't match, etc...
> 
> The Moral: Register under your full name and use that same name for everything. Otherwise, you'll end up having to game the system for almost everything you do.


Right exactly - apparently registered aliens are allowed to adopt an alias 通称名 or tsūshōmei, as a second legal name - so basically you could called yourself Hitoshi, the Last Samurai, King of the Far East - and I dont think they would get too annoyed.....(maybe....)

!


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## larabell

listerd said:


> ...so basically you could called yourself Hitoshi, the Last Samurai, King of the Far East - and I dont think they would get too annoyed.....!


They won't but banks, landlords, employers, utility companies, credit card companies, etc may not be as accommodating. If you're looking for a sure-fire way to make your Japanese financial life more complicated than it needs to be, that's probably the best way to do it.

BTW, when it comes to *Japanese*, the authorities have been known to reject names that don't appear in the official kanji reading lists published by the Monbusho. But when it comes to foreign names, there don't seem to be any rules at all...


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## listerd

larabell said:


> They won't but banks, landlords, employers, utility companies, credit card companies, etc may not be as accommodating. If you're looking for a sure-fire way to make your Japanese financial life more complicated than it needs to be, that's probably the best way to do it.
> 
> BTW, when it comes to *Japanese*, the authorities have been known to reject names that don't appear in the official kanji reading lists published by the Monbusho. But when it comes to foreign names, there don't seem to be any rules at all...


I think your def right though - for the 5 second humour in creating a silly name you would have a minefield of issues later.

Is it true that if you dont have it on you if you are stopped by the police you can have issues? If so cant you simply claim that you forgot to bring it, rather like forgetting to bring your wallet out with you?


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## Joppa

listerd said:


> Is it true that if you dont have it on you if you are stopped by the police you can have issues? If so cant you simply claim that you forgot to bring it, rather like forgetting to bring your wallet out with you?


In theory they can escort you to the nearest police station and hold you there until someone fetches your ARC, but I haven't heard of this happening to any of my ex-pat friends currently in Japan. On the whole the Japanese police, while not overtly friendly, don't hassle foreigners unless they are causing trouble etc.

Perhaps it's a good idea to have it on you most of the time when you are out and about (except just to post a letter etc), as you may need to produce it as ID when doing some transactions like taking out a mobile phone contract, store credit etc. It's handy credit-card size so easily slips into your wallet, purse etc.


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## larabell

Joppa said:


> Perhaps it's a good idea to have it on you most of the time when you are out and about (except just to post a letter etc), as you may need to produce it as ID when doing some transactions like taking out a mobile phone contract, store credit etc. It's handy credit-card size so easily slips into your wallet, purse etc.


I carry mine all the time. You're right that, in theory, the police can detain you if you don't have either your passport or your alien registration card on your person. I've been stopped before. A coworker visiting from the US didn't have his passport and the cop told us we'd have to walk back to the office and get it. The cops sometimes target certain areas where they've had problems but, in general, they don't hassle people all that much (foreign or Japanese).

However, they *do* have the right to ask a resident alien to produce the card. And you have the right to ask the cop to produce ID first. But the cops are, for the most part, not out to get their kicks at your expense. If you don't have your card, the best bet is to apologize profusely and don't do anything to piss him off (like telling him he doesn't have the right to ask for your ID, that you weren't doing anything, or asking him for his ID first -- all sure ways to get yourself detained until someone can run over to your apartment and fetch your registration card.


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