The numbers of cases and persons referred for special law offenses allegedly committed by foreigners, other than road traffic violations and other traffic-related offenses(here referred to as"cases referred for special law offenses"and"persons referred for special law offenses")both tended to decline from1980,followed by upward trends from1991. However, they have shown downward movements since 1998. In1999,the number of cases referred for special law offenses decreased by797(6.8%)from the previous year to10,954,while the number of persons referred declined by439(4.7%)to8,852(see Appendix IV-4 ).
  Fig. IV-10 shows the numbers of cases and persons referred for special law offenses allegedly committed by visiting foreigners and other foreigners.
  As regards visiting foreigners, the numbers of cases and persons referred stood at2,643and2,280respectively in1980,followed by generally upward trends. They turned down in1998,falling to9,263cases(down8.2%from the previous year)and7,473persons(down7.0%)in1999.
  By offense, visiting foreigners were most often referred for Immigration Control Law violations in1999,with5,915persons referred(down7.2%from the previous year), followed by Stimulant Drug Control Law violations with504persons referred(down15.9%).

Fig. IV-10 Trends in Numbers of Cases and Persons Referred for Special Law Offenses by Foreigners(1980-1999)

  By type of Immigration Control Law violation, foreigners were most often referred for illegal stay(3,237persons), not carrying a passport(1,503persons)and illegal entry(833persons), in that order.
  In recent years, cases of smuggling immigrants in groups have shown a significant increase, particularly from China, with the involvement of international immigrant smuggling groups such as"Jatou"("Snakehead"). The number of persons cleared by the police or the Maritime Safety Agency rose from324in1995to679in1996and to1,360in1997. It turned down, however, in1998and fell to770in1999(source:International Affairs Department, Director-General's Secretariat, National Police Agency). The number of persons referred for smuggling of immigrants in groups, made punishable by a partial revision to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act in May1997(effective from the same month), amounted to38in1997,153 in 1998 and 142 in 1999(source:Criminal Investigation Bureau, National Police Agency).