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apfseditor 
In September of last year, the Citizens' Forum on Special Residence Permits (chaired by Professor Tetsuo Mizukami of Rikkyo University) was established as a forum for citizens to hold broad discussions on the situation surrounding special residence permits in recent years and the operation of the "Guidelines Pertaining to Special Residence Permits." The Forum has held study sessions and mini-symposiums and has held numerous discussions.
The Citizens' Forum has met 13 times so far and has heard the opinions of experts such as Professor Atsushi Kondo of Meijo University. It has also been decided that the Citizens' Forum will create policy recommendations and submit them to the 7th Immigration Control Policy Forum, which is an advisory body to the Minister of Justice.
Discussions on the draft proposal began in November of last year, and on February 19th, the final day of the 7th Policy Forum, the policy recommendations were handed over to RENGO General Director Yoko Murakami, who is also a member of the Policy Forum. On the day, three members of the Public Forum, Chair Mizukami, Dr. Junpei Yamamura (Minatomachi Clinic), and Katsuo Yoshinari (APFS Director), visited RENGO headquarters.
Director-General Murakami said that issues of special residence permits and irregular foreign residents have not been raised much at policy meetings, but in response to today's request, he will continue to pay close attention to the situation. Director-General of the Labor Legislation Bureau, Tomoharu Koga, also spoke about the role that RENGO played when the Immigration Bureau of the Ministry of Justice created the "Guidelines for Special Residence Permits."
The Zaitoku Citizens' Forum has concluded its work for now, having submitted its policy recommendations. A public report session is planned for April.