We think that METI and others should be looking to Singapore and its government-owned Spring corporation. Singapore appears to have figured out how to bring entrepreneurs to their country and how to provide access to capital.

Japan's Highly Skilled Foreign Professional visa introduced in July last year targets technology immigrants and offers on a new points system a very easy 5-year work visa with all the trimmings.

After the Tokyo High Court finally agreed to a retrial after new DNA evidence, Govinda Prasad Mainali, a Nepalese who has been in prison on and off since 1997, has been released.

Major manufacturers hit by the floods in Thailand can bring their Thai workforces to Japan for up to 6 months.

Looming insurance bills are making some green at the gills.

Not only has Japan cracked down on foreigners coming in and out of Japan, the government has also started to take more action concerning the issue of dual nationality. To find out what the new measures involve and read some personal experiences of the system Read Terrie's Take Now

The new immigration procedures at Narita have been in place for a couple of months now. From his own personal experience and reports in the Japanese media, Terrie considers what is next in Japan's immigration master plan - a 'slave visa'? Read Now

Are you leaving Japan for the holidays? If so, click below to download a document from the Ministry of Justice detailing the new immigration procedures for foreigners and information on how to pre-register for the automated gates at the airport.

Even if you live permanently in Japan, own property, have chidren at Japanese schools, own a company and pay taxes to the Japanese government, changes to immigration procedures at Narita airport will require you to go through new rigourous checks and balances including eye-scanning and finger printing. Aside from the inconvenice, what messages is the Japanese government sending to potential foreign investors and business people? Read Terrie's Take Now