The Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency is to issue a residence card to foreign nationals who are residing with a status of residence in Japan (hereinafter referred to as "mid- to long-term residents"), which by definition does not include:
出入国在留管理庁長官は、本邦に在留資格をもつて在留する外国人のうち、次に掲げる者以外の者（以下「中長期在留者」という。）に対し、在留カードを交付するものとする。
a person who has been granted a period of stay of not more than 3 months;
三月以下の在留期間が決定された者
a person who has been granted the status of residence of "Temporary Visitor";
短期滞在の在留資格が決定された者
a person who has been granted the status of residence of "Diplomat" or "Official"; or
外交又は公用の在留資格が決定された者
a person provided for by Ministry of Justice Order as equivalent to a person set forth in any of the preceding three items.
前三号に準ずる者として法務省令で定めるもの
Read this with the articles around it
(Mid- to Long-Term Residents)
a person who has been granted a period of stay of not more than 3 months;
三月以下の在留期間が決定された者
Open this provision(Mid- to Long-Term Residents)
a person who has been granted the status of residence of "Temporary Visitor";
短期滞在の在留資格が決定された者
Open this provision(Mid- to Long-Term Residents)
a person who has been granted the status of residence of "Diplomat" or "Official"; or
外交又は公用の在留資格が決定された者
Open this provisionforeign national
「外国人」
Anyone who does not hold Japanese nationality.
Defined inArticle 2, paragraph (1), item (i)· applies throughout the law
period of staymachine translation
「在留期間」
How long a foreign national may stay in Japan under a status of residence; the lengths are set by Ministry of Justice Order and, for most statuses, cannot exceed five years.
Short name set inArticle 2-2, paragraph (3)
mid- to long-term residents
「中長期在留者」
A foreign national residing in Japan with a status of residence who is issued a residence card: everyone except those granted a stay of three months or less, Temporary Visitors, holders of Diplomat or Official status, and others specified by Ministry of Justice Order.
Short name set inArticle 19-3, paragraph (1)