Residence card

Residence card is a permit to foreigners, to prove the right to stay in Japan on a three months or more.
However, if the extension of the short-term stay is granted, the residence card, even if you are in Japan for more than 3 months will not be issued.

Residence card is issued by the Immigration Bureau, it will be issued only to foreigners basically more than three months stay in Japan.
If you have a residence card, if also less than one year, you can come back to Japan without a procedure of re-entry. This is a big advantage.
Residence card is issued in the part of the international airport, in the case of immigration from the rest of the airport and the harbor, the card is not issued immediately, at a later date, will be sent by registered mail addressed to the person.
However, to do so, you need to do the resident registration at the municipality that you live.
On the contrary, if you get a residence card of immediate distribution, such as Narita and Haneda, you have to go to the municipal office that will be your residence within two weeks, and the procedure of the resident registration, also have them the description of the address in the residence card.
If you are staying in Japan without making these proceedings, against the law, it will be subject to penalty, please note.
Tourism and entertainment, etc., residence cards to people to stay in Japan within three months, will not be issued.