Sure, also because you're going to pay taxes into that ku (city), and they deal with pension and health insurance, even if you're not a foreigner you're going to have to register.

Your residence card gets updated every time you change your address and you do have to go to the ward office for them to update it, but that's hardly "register at the police station".

Edit:

Most if not all the things we have to do, as foreigners, Japanese also have to do it.

The big difference is we're required to have an updated/valid residence card (ID), while Japanese don't need to carry ID.

I'm from Europe, and in my country everyone has an ID and is "required" to have it so I don't actually see the big deal, maybe I'm just uninformed.

"Most if not all the things we have to do, as foreigners, Japanese also have to do it."

Chinese also have to register at the local police station when they move. It's not just for foreigners.

in Japan you do not have to register if you are just visiting somewhere

Right, but my point wasn't that the requirements are the same. I was pointing out that the parent statement "Most if not all the things we have to do, as foreigners, Japanese also have to do it." applies to China, too.

The 'registration at local police station' was just an example of one such policy.

Exactly. As a visitor you don’t have to “register at the local police station”. Just if you’re a resident.

Meanwhile, I managed to move from New Zealand to Australia and didn't have to fill in a single form.

>Also as a "fun" fact, residence cards features the logo of the ministry of justice. Just like if all foreigners were criminal with such a high probability that this minister handle the matter from the beginning.

No different than US which takes a presumption of guilt when people apply for a visa isnt it?