International exchanges are becoming more common, and in 2005 the number of Japanese nationals living overseas exceeded one million people for the first time since the end of World War II. The number of people living or visiting abroad has been growing year by year, and as a result there has been both an increase and a diversification in the consular service requests made to diplomatic missions overseas. Within this context, in order to protect and enhance the interests of Japanese citizens, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been implementing measures to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals overseas as well as making efforts to provide accurate and finely-tailored responses to their needs, including the accurate execution of various government services and the implementation of policies and measures that support overseas living and overseas activities.