The voice of Burmese woman S

My name is S. I'm from Myanmar. I have a family. Due to various circumstances in Myanmar, and also for the sake of my son's future, we came to Japan in 1990 to live our lives here. When we first arrived at Narita Airport, it was very difficult because we couldn't read, write, or speak Japanese. The culture was also different, so we couldn't eat the food or drink the water.

Japan has many tall buildings, buses, and trains, but what surprised me most was the "freedom" that everyone has to get up in the morning, go to work, and live a normal life. I think Japan is a very free, convenient, and wonderful country.

Comparing the hardships of our home country to the prosperous nation of Japan, the situation in Myanmar was so heartbreaking that my family and I did something we shouldn't have: we became illegal immigrants. For 15 years, my family of three lived as undocumented immigrants, enduring anxiety but striving to live honestly, never stealing, never killing anyone, and never doing anything wrong. However, in February 2006, we were caught by the immigration bureau for being illegal immigrants. We were imprisoned in the immigration bureau in Shinagawa and forced to live a strict daily life. It was incredibly difficult.

Since coming to Japan, I have met many different people and received support and assistance from many, and in 2007, I received a permanent resident visa from the Minister of Justice, finally allowing my family of three to live in Japan with peace of mind. I am truly grateful to the country of Japan and to all the people I have met and who have helped me along the way.

I learned things in Japan that I wouldn't have known if I had stayed in Myanmar, and I feel that coming to Japan has broadened my horizons and changed my way of thinking. Since I will be living in Japan for the rest of my life, I wanted to learn more about Japanese history and culture, meet various people and broaden my perspective, so in April 2008, I enrolled in the evening program at A High School. I became a second-year student in May 2009, and I'm working hard now.

I think there are many foreigners in Japan who are feeling anxious, just like me.

I believe that if you all work hard and honestly without giving up until the very end, your dreams will one day come true. Generally, illegal immigration in Japan doesn't have a very good reputation. However, there are many people who work honestly and children who attend school properly among those who are illegal immigrants. I hope that the people of Japan will try to understand foreigners more. Thank you for your cooperation.