Declan Murphy <declan_murphy@hotmail.com> wrote:
> What do you think of this case? Must be more to it than just a few
> critical/negative blog posts...
> http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2012/01/japans-immigration-control

_The Economist_ is reputable enough that there's probably something to
it.

My experiences with immigration were equally odd, but in the opposite
direction. I ended up with 3 simultaneously valid visas and the guy I
met with before I left on vacation scheduled an appointment with for the
day after my return. 

OTOH, before I got to the counter to plead my case (in Japanese) I witnessed
the same guy (and his collegues) denying visa renewals (or visas) to 
a large number of other furriners who had (IMO) pretty valid cases. 'Course,
it didn't help that some of them insisted on their rights...

Mike