Japan's Immigration Services Agency has abolished its policy of informing lawyers of their clients' deportation dates in advance. This change, effective February 1, raises concerns about fair legal challenges to deportation orders.

Japan has ended its 16-year policy of providing advance deportation notifications to lawyers representing foreign residents. Effective February 1, the Immigration Services Agency will no longer inform lawyers of their clients' deportation dates ahead of time, a decision made with less than a week's transition period.

The agency claims the prior system had "harmful" side effects, citing instances of individuals disappearing before deportation and lawyers publicizing the dates, leading to increased complaints. However, the Japan Federation of Bar Associations argues this change violates the right to a fair trial, as it significantly reduces the time available to prepare legal challenges.

While foreigners will still be notified of their deportation date, the notice period is now one month. This shortened timeframe raises concerns about the ability to effectively contest deportation orders, potentially impacting foreign residents in Japan.