A foreign national residing in Japan with a status of residence who has been registered pursuant to the provisions of Article 4, paragraph (1) of the Former Alien Registration Act and whose period of stay (including the period during which the foreign national may stay in Japan pursuant to the provisions of Article 20, paragraph (5) of the New Immigration Control Act (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 21, paragraph (4) of the New Immigration Control Act); hereinafter the same applies in this paragraph and in Article 15, paragraph (2) of the Supplementary Provisions) expires on or after the Effective Date, other than the persons set forth below (hereinafter referred to as a "prospective mid- to long-term resident"), may apply to the Minister of Justice for the issuance of a residence card, in accordance with the procedures provided for by Ministry of Justice Order, during the period from the date specified in Article 1, item (iv) of the Supplementary Provisions to the day before the Effective Date: