A parade was held in Ginza involving 34 undocumented immigrants from 18 families and 2 individuals.

Regarding foreigners in Japanese society, new initiatives to accept foreigners have begun, such as the introduction of a point-based preferential treatment system for highly skilled personnel. The Fourth Immigration Control Plan also explicitly states that "proactive measures to accept foreigners will be promoted." However, on the other hand, we must not forget that there are 67,065 undocumented immigrants in Japan (as of January 2012).

On November 18, 2012 (Sunday), APFS held a parade in Ginza calling for legal residency for 34 people (18 families and 2 individuals) who were undocumented immigrants. The aim of this parade was to raise awareness that undocumented immigrants actually exist in Japanese society and face various problems.
The 18 families and 2 individuals totaling 34 people include family members, spouses of Japanese nationals (permanent residents), and single individuals. Nationalities span nine countries: the Philippines, Bangladesh, Mali, Iran, South Korea, Pakistan, Peru, Bolivia, and Guinea. Some have been settled in Japan for over 20 years. Others play a primary role in their local communities, while some are expected to provide care for elderly Japanese residents in their later years.

In addition to 34 individuals directly affected, many supporters also participated in the parade, bringing the total number of participants to over 100. They paraded through the streets of Ginza carrying a banner that read, "Don't forget us before you accept foreigners." The leader of the affected group took to the microphone and appealed that 18 families, 2 individuals, and 34 women were seeking to reside in Japan. They appealed, "We have lived honest lives, and we will continue to do so. Please, don't forget that we are here." The leaflets that had been prepared for distribution on the streets were gone in no time. Also, on the streets, there were scenes of Japanese children who had seen the parade asking their parents what kind of activities they were doing. They were able to attract a lot of attention.

However, deportation orders have already been issued to 18 families and 2 individuals totaling 34 people. Despite meeting the "positive factors" of the "Guidelines for Special Permission to Stay" revised in July 2009, special permission to stay has not yet been granted. These 18 families and 2 individuals totaling 34 people are seeking to stay by filing appeals for retrial (requesting a re-examination based on changes in circumstances since the issuance of the deportation order). However, even after 4 to 5 years have passed since the issuance of the deportation order, some individuals remain in an unstable situation as their appeals for retrial have not been granted.

On July 9, 2012, the revised Immigration Control Act came into effect. The revised Immigration Control Act is extremely strict for undocumented immigrants. Under the revised Immigration Control Act, undocumented immigrants are excluded from resident registration and are no longer able to possess any form of identification. In Western countries, South Korea, and other countries, when laws concerning foreigners become stricter, amnesty has been granted in the past. Through amnesty, those who meet certain criteria have been granted legal residency all at once.

These 18 families and 2 individuals (34 people in total) have lived and worked in Japan for a long time. We believe that these 18 families and 2 individuals (34 people in total) should not be forgotten, but rather should be remembered and supported by us. With the enforcement of the revised Immigration Control Act, these 18 families and 2 individuals (34 people in total) and APFS are calling for a warm welcome to undocumented residents in Japan and for them to be granted legal residency. We ask for your continued support and cooperation.