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Welcome to the July newsletter!
Upcoming Holidays and ACS Office Closures Please note: The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and U.S. Consulates General in Sapporo and Naha, and the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka will be closed on Monday, July 14; the NIV and ACS sections of U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe will be closed on Friday, July 18. The Embassy and Consulates will be closed for the following days:
A full list of all of our holiday closings is online here. American citizens who require emergency assistance during holidays should contact the office serving their part of Japan. If you do come to see us at the Embassy in Tokyo, note that we have two lines to enter the building; a (usually) longer line for visa applicants and a much shorter line for customers coming for American Citizen Services help. Check the signs by the Embassy entrance, which will direct you to the appropriate line. We use a computerized customer ticketing system; upon entering the Consular section, you can select the type of service you require (e.g. Passport, Notary, etc.) and wait in the ACS Waiting Room for your number to be called.
Security Situation In light of recent events and the upcoming G8 summit, the U.S. Embassy asks all Americans in Japan to review their personal security practices and to report any unusual activities to local authorities. The Government of Japan maintains heightened security measures at key facilities and ports of entry as counter-terrorism precautions linked to the increased tensions in the Middle East. The January 17, 2008 Worldwide Caution Public Announcement we distributed via this channel remains in effect. Please view the full text online here. You can always read the most current information online here. Since our previous ACS Newsletter for June 2008, the U.S. Department of State has issued five new Travel Warnings for Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Eritrea, Iraq, and Sri Lanka; and has issued two new Travel Alerts for Burma (Myanmar), and Zimbabwe. Please review them online here. The most up-to-date information regarding permitted and prohibited items on flights can be viewed online here. For additional information, please visit "Americans Traveling Abroad" on the U.S. Department of State website. To obtain up-to-date information on security conditions, call 1-888-407-4747 (toll free in the United States), or 1-202-501-4444 if you are in Canada or outside the United States.
Heightened Security Measures for the G-8 Meetings in Japan The Japanese Government is hosting the Group of 8 (G-8) Meetings in Toyako, Hokkaido on July 7-9, 2008. Visitors may face heightened security measures and find some closed and/or limited transportation services before and during the meetings.
U.S. Embassy Tokyo is on Facebook! U.S. Embassy Tokyo is pleased to announce that it currently has three pages on Facebook. The Embassy maintains pages for general embassy information, for Japan Exchange Alumni, and for English teachers in Japan. These pages are loaded with resources, information, and links to countless web sites featuring U.S.-Japan relations. The pages are always being updated, so become a "fan" of U.S. Embassy Tokyo’s page on Facebook to stay in touch and connect with others.
General Page: The general page has study abroad resources, Embassy event links, news resources, online video, and further information on many more U.S.-Japan topics. It is a key resource for people involved or who want to become involved in Japan-U.S. relations and events, so be sure to scan it often for updates and information related to your interests.
Japan Exchange Alumni Page: This page is designed to empower alumni to maintain ties with each other and connect to the Embassy. It features alumni community resources, alumni events, alumni news and testimonials, and information on joining the U.S. State Department Alumni Community for further exciting opportunities.
English Teachers in Japan Page: The English Teacher's page is designed for teachers and includes posts with embassy news, ESL information, study abroad opportunities, and online teaching resources. Add yourself as a fan of the page and connect with your colleagues in Japan!
U.S. Foreign Service Officer Test Registration Deadline on July 3 Register before the deadline on July 3, 2008, if you would like to take the U.S. Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT). It is the first step toward a career in U.S. diplomacy. The upcoming FSOT will be offered in July at five locations in Japan. Please be aware that the deadline for candidates intending to test overseas to submit a completed Registration Package is July 3, 2008, at 11:59pm (U.S. Central Daylight Time). The selection process begins by registering online for the FSOT. The U.S. Department of State revised the selection process last year to take into account examinees’ relevant life experience. This change is intended to help the U.S. State Department identify, and more quickly hire, the most qualified candidates. This test was last offered at select overseas locations in March 2008. In Japan, the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulates will offer the FSOT according to the following schedule for July 2008:
Government of Japan’s Announcement Regarding Illegal Workers The Japanese Ministry of Justice designated June as its "Illegal Foreign Worker Problem Awareness Month" in order to promote and publicize measures to prevent illegal foreign workers. All non-Japanese nationals working in Japan should make sure they have the proper work visa. Americans entering Japan without a visa or with a tourist visa are not allowed to work in Japan. Anyone working illegally in Japan is subject to arrest and deportation. Prison sentences and fines for employing or transporting illegal workers range from three to ten years imprisonment and 3,000,000 - 10,000,000 yen. Japanese immigration officials are aware of the pattern of foreigners staying in Japan for 80 to 90 days as "tourists" and then spending a few days in Korea, Guam or some other nearby area and then seeking to re-enter Japan for another 90 days. Anyone with such a travel pattern can expect to face questions from Japanese immigration officials and may be denied entry if Japanese immigration officials believes that the foreigner has been or will work illegally in Japan. Because Japanese immigration records are computerized, a "lost" passport does not mask long stays in Japan. For more information, please visit the website of the Japanese Immigration Office or the Japanese Ministry of Justice. The U.S. Embassy Tokyo website also outlines information regarding Japanese visas for American citizens.
Overseas Absentee Voting Information Act now to register to vote and request an absentee ballot for the 2008 presidential and general elections! Eligibility to Vote Generally, all U.S. citizens 18 years or older who are residing outside the United States during an election period are eligible to vote absentee in any election for Federal office. Some states allow overseas voters to vote in state and local elections as well. Voting eligibility and residency requirements are determined by the various U.S. states, and are available online here. Your "legal state of residence" for voting purposes is the state where you last resided immediately prior to departure from the United States. Voting rights extend to overseas citizens even though they may no longer own property or have other ties to their last state of residence, and even if their intent to return to that state may be uncertain. For those who have never resided in the United States, sixteen states allow certain U.S. citizens to register where a parent or spouse would be eligible to vote. Voter Registration & Requesting an Absentee Ballot Voters who have not yet registered to vote and requested an absentee ballot should do so now.
Voting Your local voting officials should mail your absentee ballot 30 to 45 days before the November 4 general election. Return your voted ballot as early as possible. Be aware of your state’s ballot receipt deadline, as well as any postmarking requirements. Emergency Ballots The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) serves as an emergency ballot for voters who registered in time but fail to receive an official ballot from local election officials. Please note: You must register to vote and request an absentee ballot by your state’s deadline - usually 30 days before the election - to be eligible to use the FWAB. We strongly recommend that voters who have not received their ballot by October 15 complete and return the FWAB to ensure your vote is received in time to be counted. Questions? The official U.S. government website for overseas voters is the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website at www.fvap.gov. The Voting Assistance Officers at U.S. Embassy Tokyo are also always available to answer questions about absentee voting. To contact the Voting Assistance Officer, call 03-3224-5000 or send an e-mail to VOTETOKYO@state.gov
How to Verify Voter Registration Status Online Many of the States and U.S. Territories are making it easy to determine voter registration status online. Listed below are the twenty-eight states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, which have web sites where voters may check their registration status. The website addresses listed below are subject to change. Please check this site for updates.
NOTE: The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Federal Government, United States Department of Defense or the Federal Voting Assistance Program of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. The Federal Voting Assistance Program does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations.
Information for Minnesota Voters The State of Minnesota has enacted a new law that allows uniformed services and overseas voters to receive their blank absentee ballots by fax or e-mail. It also allows voters to send their FPCA for ballot request only by fax or e-mail. Voters may also use a "State Write-In Absentee Ballot" for state and local elections, and the new law also removes the requirement that Federal Post Card Applications or ballot envelopes be notarized or witnessed. Voters who receive their absentee ballot by fax or e-mail must return the voted ballot to the county auditor in a sealed envelope. The State Write-In Absentee Ballot is for citizens who will be outside the U.S. during the 180-day period preceding the general election (and requested an official absentee ballot) and may be used as a ballot for all elections within that timeframe. The State of Minnesota previously required that applications or ballots be notarized or witnessed by an individual authorized to administer oaths when a citizen did not provide a military identification card number or a passport number. Instead, the citizen now attests to the truthfulness of the contents under penalty of perjury. Additional information regarding the provisions of this law is available online by visiting the Minnesota Secretary of State’s web site. Questions regarding the above may also be referred to the Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 20301-1155 or through email: vote@fvap.ncr.gov. Visit the FVAP website at www.fvap.gov for more information.
Ask the Consul: What should Americans know about traveling to Japan with U.S. prescription medication? Someone recently inquired about traveling to Japan with U.S. prescription medication. It is important to know that prescriptions filled in the United States may not be legal in Japan. Decisions regarding which medications may be legally imported into Japan are made by the Japanese Government. Information regarding specific medications or ingredients is available only from the Japanese authorities, and is subject to change. Anyone traveling to Japan with prescription and non-prescription medications should consult the Japanese Embassy (or a Japanese Consulate) in the United States before departing the U.S. to confirm whether the particular medication is legal in Japan. A full listing of phone numbers and email addresses is available online here. Please review this information provided by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare regarding how to import medicine for personal use to Japan: Q&A for those who bring medicines into Japan. Please note that this office prefers to receive all inquires via fax or email rather than by phone; and be sure that your fax number and email address for reply communication is clearly legible. Additional sources of information are included on the web site of the Compliance and Narcotics Division, Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare under the heading "Importing or Bringing Medication into Japan for Personal Use." Japanese physicians can often prescribe similar, but not identical, substitutes to medicines available in the U.S. A list of English-speaking medical facilities throughout Japan is available elsewhere on our web site. A Japanese doctor, consulted by phone in advance, is also a good source of information on medications available and/or permitted in Japan. Some of the common prescription medications that are legal in the U.S., such as Prozac and Viagra, are sold illegally in Japan on the black market. Anyone purchasing drugs illegally in Japan is subject to arrest and imprisonment. Please also note that it is illegal to bring into Japan some over-the-counter medicines that are commonly used in the United States, including inhalers and some allergy and sinus medications. Specifically, products that contain stimulants (including medicines that contain more than ten percent pseudo-ephedrine, such as Actifed, Sudafed, and Vicks inhalers), or codeine are prohibited. No more than a two-month supply of allowable over-the-counter medication and no more than a four-month supply of allowable vitamins may be brought into Japan duty-free.
Leaving Japan? If you are departing from Japan after a long stay here, and you formally registered your stay with the Embassy or closest U.S. consulate, please be sure to "cancel" your registration when you leave. You can deregister yourself by visiting the travelregistration.state.gov site. You may also want to consider unsubscribing from the newsletter mailing list. Please see the instructions on how to accomplish this below.
Unsubscribing We make every attempt to include in our newsletter information of real value. We know that should world events dictate, we can use this email channel to get important information to you, as we did in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. That said, if you are leaving Japan or otherwise wish to unsubscribe from this list you can unsubscribe by writing from the same email address you used to subscribe, and send a blank email to:
leave-tokyoacs@mh.databack.comIf you need to receive these newsletters at a different email address, unsubscribe first, using the old address, and subscribe again from the new address.
Contact us:
American Embassy in Tokyo The Embassy helps Americans in Tokyo, Chiba, Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Nagano, Niigata, Saitama, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Yamagata and Yamanashi.
American Consulate General Sapporo The Consulate in Sapporo helps Americans in Akita, Aomori, Hokkaido, Iwate and Miyagi. As there are times when both officers are away from the office, we ask that you make an appointment before coming to the Consulate General.
American Consulate Nagoya Consulate Nagoya provides emergency consular services including death and arrest cases for Americans living in Aichi, Gifu, and Mie prefectures. Please call Nagoya or Osaka for confirmation before traveling to Nagoya if you believe you have an emergency situation. Routine American Citizen services are provided by appointment only. If an appointment is not available, American residents may also receive service at the Consulate in Osaka.
American Consulate General Osaka-Kobe The Consulate in Osaka helps Americans in Osaka, Aichi, Ehime, Fukui, Gifu, Hiroshima, Hyogo, Ishikawa, Kagawa, Kochi, Kyoto, Mie, Nara, Okayama, Shimane, Shiga, Tokushima, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama.
American Consulate Fukuoka The Consulate in Fukuoka helps Americans in Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Oita, Saga and Yamaguchi.
American Consulate General Naha The Consulate in Naha helps Americans in Okinawa and the Amami Oshima Island group (which is the southern island group of Kagoshima Prefecture). Travel, safety and security information is also available directly from the Department of State.
Inclusion of Non-U.S. Government links or information does not imply endorsement of contents. This subscription list is maintained by a private company and the U.S. Government cannot guarantee the privacy of any e-mail address.
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