Japan: Fingerprinting new arrivals works

TOKYO, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- A new biometric fingerprint scanning system kept 846 undesirable immigrants out of Japan in the past year, officials said.

Aiko Oumi, an official with the Immigration Bureau, said foreigners whose fingerprints revealed them to be undesirable had to leave immediately, The Japan Times reported. The largest group was South Korean, with 290 expulsions, followed by Filipinos and Chinese.

A total of 98 people were barred from entry into Japan for at least five years.

The Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law was revised last year to require all foreign nationals age 16 and older to provide biometric data upon entering the country. The law applies to permanent residents as well as visitors.

"As we can see, the new monitoring system can stop those with fake passports from entering," Justice Minister Eisuke Mori said. "I think it is very efficient."

Officials said that biometric scanning also reduces waiting times at airports.