TOKYO: The Japanese government has ended a practice of notifying lawyers representing foreign nationals, in principle, two months before their deportation, a system introduced in 2010 under an agreement with a bar association, Kyodo News reported.
In making the decision effective on Feb 1, the Immigration Services Agency cited cases in which foreigners had gone missing following the deportation notices. The bar association protested the move, arguing that it violates foreigners' right to a trial for demanding the withdrawal of deportation orders.
The notification system was launched to assist defence preparations, as foreign nationals who entered or remained in the country illegally often file lawsuits or take other legal action seeking to stop their repatriation.
Foreign nationals subject to the notification were individuals who were forcibly deported by escort officers, with 249 cases occurring in 2024, according to the agency.
Lawyers who requested notifications were informed, with around 50 notifications issued by the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau alone in 2025.
However, since 2019, at least seven people have temporarily gone missing after notifications were sent. Protests that coincided with the planned repatriations also caused disruptions to the agency's operations.
The agency held discussions with the Japan Federation of Bar Associations in July 2025 but failed to reach a resolution, informing the association in January that it would terminate the two-month prior notice before deportation practice.
The agency will continue to inform foreign individuals that their deportation will be deferred for one month after the decision is made, allowing them to file lawsuits during that time, ensuring that the abolishment of notifications to lawyers does not violate their right to a trial.
Late last month, the bar federation released a statement criticising the move as "a unilateral measure lacking fact-based examination and sincere consultations between the parties involved."
The statement also said that simply informing foreign nationals would not specify the exact timing of deportation and that the grace period is too short to allow for adequate time to seek judicial relief.
The abolishment is part of the government's policy to tighten measures on foreigners, with the agency planning to double the number of deportations with escort officials from 2024 to 2027. - Bernama-Kyodo
