Application for a New Foreign Press Registration Card

The Applicant is required to make application in person with the following documents:

1. Application Form (available at the FPC)
2. One 2.5 x 3 cm full-face color photograph of the applicant
3. Original letter certifying working relationship / contract / employment by a journalistic organization (returnable upon request after examination). The original letter must be submitted – a copy is not acceptable.)
4. Proof of regular contribution (A copy signed articles (for newspaper / magazine journalists) or photographs with name credit (for still photographer) published in principle by the same organization within the past three months)
5. Information on the organization (Applicable only when the applicant is the first to apply from the newly established Japan bureau of the organization)
6. A photocopy of passport (Must include pages indicating passport number, date of issue and expiration, and the stamp indicating the applicant’s status of residence and its duration. Japanese nationals are required to present a photocopy if passport, driver’s license or other official identification certificate)
7. Alien Registration Certificate (photocopy of both sides)

After receiving the application, the FPC forwards it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be examined. As a result of the examination, the applicant may be requested to submit supplementary documents. When the card is issued, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will inform the applicant directly.

The applicant is requested to collect the card at the International Press Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in person:
International Press Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8919
03-5501-8134

 

Application for a renewal of Foreign Press Registration Card

1. Application form for renewal
2. One 2.5 x 3 cm full-face color photograph of the applicant
3. Original letter certifying working relationship / contract / employment by a journalistic organization (maybe omitted for correspondents dispatched on assignment from overseas whose first application form includes a letter of assignment with sufficient duration of the term of assignment). The original letter must be submitted – a copy is not acceptable.)
4. Proof of regular contribution (A copy of signed articles (for newspaper / magazine journalists) or photographs with name credit (for still photographer) published on principle by the same organization within the past three months) would help to expedite the process.
5. (For non-Japanese nationals) A photocopy of passport (Must include pages indicating passport number, date of issue and expiration, and the stamp indicating the applicant’s status of residence and its duration.
6. A photocopy of Alien Registration Card (both sides) (Must indicate that the occupation if the applicant is either a professional journalist or that he/she belongs to a non-Japanese journalistic organization.)

After receiving the application, the FPC forwards it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be examined. As a result of examination, the applicant may be requested to submit supplementary documents. When the card is issued, the FPC will inform the applicant. The applicant is requested to collect the card at the FPC.

 

Duration of validity

The Registration Card is valid for one year (i.e. to expire one day before the same date of issue of the following year), provided that, for non-Japanese nationals, the validity of his/her status of residence remains. The Registration Card shall become null and void when the requirements for its possession are no longer fulfilled, and the Card must be returned.

 

Reissuing the Registration Card

Any case of a lost Registration Card or change of the journalistic organization should be immediately notified to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and application for re-issuance should be taken. In case of a lost Registration Card, the application procedure will be as in the case of renewal, and a statement describing the detailed condition under which the Registration Card was lost must be attached. The re-issued Registration Card will be given a new number. In case of change of the journalistic organization, the application procedure will be as in the case of issuing a new Registration Card, and the re-issued card will retain the number of a previous Registration Card.