Based on the above-mentioned Action Program, the Minister of Justice established the "Third Immigration Control Basic Plan" in March 2005 as the base of measures concerning control of foreign nationals' entry to and stay in Japan, aiming for realizing fair immigration control. This Immigration Control Basic Plan specifies concrete efforts to be made to restore Japanese society's safety, including the promotion of shoreline measures, detailed information analysis and strict crackdown under collaboration with related agencies, and review on the current system for making deportation procedures more efficient. The Plan promotes measures against illegal entry and illegal overstay, etc. robustly.

  In order to decrease illegal immigrants significantly, it is necessary to prevent foreigners intending to overstay illegally from coming to or entering Japan. For that purpose, immigration checks have been tightened for resident statuses of "short stay," etc., which often lead to illegal overstay, so as to prevent the entry of suspected foreigners. In 2005, the number of foreigners who were rejected to enter Japan was 10,722, exceeding 10,000 continuously from 2004, when the number marked the highest record in the last five years (Source: Immigration Bureau, Ministry of Justice).

  In order to halve the number of illegal immigrants, deportation of foreigners who have already overstayed in Japan illegally has been strongly carried out. The Immigration Bureau, Ministry of Justice has strengthened control of illegal immigrants by constantly collecting information on illegal immigrants and implementing crackdown at places where illegal immigrants gather jointly with related agencies including the police.

  In order to carry out deportation procedures in an effective and efficient manner, the current system has been reviewed.
  The Act for Partial Amendment to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (Act No. 73 of 2004) newly establishes the Departure Order System which allows immediate departure of a foreigner through simple procedures when he/she turns himself/herself in to immigration authorities and he/she meets certain requirements, so as to encourage voluntary appearance of illegal immigrants (enforced in December 2004).
  Furthermore, the system to transfer suspects from the police to immigration control officers has been utilized for the purpose of carrying out deportation procedures efficiently by transferring promptly from criminal procedures to deportation procedures. In 2005, 5,706 visiting foreigners were arrested for Immigration Control Act violations and were transferred from the police to immigration control officers under this system. The number increased by 40.0% from the previous year (Source: Criminal Investigation Bureau, National Police Agency).