in the 1980s the situation began to improve for ethnic koreans in japan. there were educational reforms in japan which allowed korean schools to maintain their status as private educational institutions, with some in operation up to this day. by 1987, naturalized koreans living in japan became able to use their korean name, rather than a japanese name. when japan signed the united nations refugee convention, "chongryon" koreans received permanent residency status too and were granted the right to visit their families in north korea. nearly the entire population of ethnic koreans living in japan had been granted permanent residency by 1991. the law that required the fingerprinting of permanent residents was terminated in 1993.