[Answer]
Are
foreigners living in Japan eligible for public assistance under the Public
Assistance Law? How can I apply for the service?
Foreigners do not have a legal
right to get such public assistance because the law is originally intended for
Japanese nationals, but the Public Assistance Law is applied to destitute
foreigners at the discretion of the government, provided they meet either one
of the following requirements:
1. Foreigners listed in Schedule 2
1 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. (Permanent Resident,
Spouse of a Japanese National, Spouse of a Permanent Resident and Long Term
Resident)
2. Special Permanent Residents
recognized under the Special Act on the
Immigration Control of, Inter Alia, Those Who Have Lost Japanese Nationality
Pursuant to the Treaty of Peace with Japan
3. Foreigners who are recognized as refugees under the provisions of Article 1 of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees ortheprovisions of Article 1 of the Protocol relating to the Status
of Refugees.
To receive public
assistance, you ought to apply for recognition to the municipal office where
you registered for Alien Registration., which is responsible to protect
foreigners who meet the above criteria .