Originally Posted by kcvt750

Japan Times Online 11-30Cities call for national registry of foreign residents

GIFU (Kyodo) A group of cities with communities of non-Japanese residents has called on the central government to establish a national registry to help keep track of foreign residents who decide to move to other places.

Foreign residents are required to register with the governments of the municipalities where they reside, separately from Japanese residents, but some do not reregister after moving elsewhere and end up being left out of local administrative services.