LIVING IN LIMBO: Illegal aliens get a break: registration July 16, 2003 Asahi/IHT
Nearly 20,000 foreigners illegally residing in the country had received alien registration certificates by the end of last year.
While there seems to be no legal basis to hand out the certificates, registering illegal aliens benefits both parties. Municipalities can better keep track of who is in the community and foreigners receive a document needed to open bank accounts, file tax returns, et cetera.
...as of January this year there were more than 220,000 illegal aliens in the country, with somewhat less than 10 percent registered.
Authorities say they are not prepared to find and deport so many people despite their illegal status, especially as many of the cases involve families.
