Japan govt launches new office for foreigner policies

The new office will tackle issues such as crimes and other incidents caused by some foreigners in the country.

The government aims to display its resolve to ramp up efforts over the matter, which has become one of the key issues in Sunday's election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of Japan's parliament.

"It's important to take strict measures against those who don't follow the rules, while reviewing systems that don't sufficiently meet the current situation surrounding foreigners," Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said at a launch ceremony at the prime minister's office.

He instructed officials to collaborate across ministries and agencies.

The office is headed by Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary Wataru Sakata and has 78 employees including those from the Immigration Services Agency.

Some people are calling for adopting stricter screening of foreigners seeking to convert driver's licenses issued abroad to Japanese ones, taking tougher measures against those who do not pay social insurance premiums and checking real estate ownership by foreigners for speculation purposes.