Negotiations with the Ministry of Justice

On Wednesday, June 22, 2011, APFS held negotiations with the Ministry of Justice. Three members of APFS, including Representative Director Kato, and four members of the Ministry of Justice, including Ishioka Kuniaki, Chief of the Trial Division, attended.
This negotiation was made possible with the cooperation of the Office of House of Representatives Member Ryoichi Hattori.

We have made the following four requests regarding the 43 undocumented immigrants (18 families and 1 individual) that we are supporting.
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1. Please allow irregular families with children in the fourth grade or above to stay in Japan.
2. Please grant special residence permission to the families of those who entered the country illegally
3. Please allow the entire family to stay (please do not separate parents and children)
4. Please allow my husband and I to live together in Japan.
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Regarding 1., in the "Guidelines for Special Permission to Stay," in the section "Examples to be considered in the direction of "Special Permission to Stay"," it was confirmed that the "10 years" in the part "living together with a biological child who was born in Japan and is attending elementary and junior high schools in Japan and has been residing in Japan for more than 10 years, and caring for and raising them" is not an absolute standard. (It does not mean that residence will never be granted if the period has not reached 10 years.)
Regarding 2, we confirmed that irregular entry (illegal entry) is merely one of the "other negative factors" among the negative factors.
Regarding 3, we reaffirmed that the Immigration Bureau of the Ministry of Justice will not pressure parents and children to separate.
Regarding 4., we requested humanitarian consideration to allow the couple to live together in Japan.

Additionally, in front of the Ministry of Justice, the parents (adults) of 18 families and one individual (43 people) made an appeal for "special permission to stay."
APFS will continue to seek permission for 18 families and 1 individual (43 people) to stay in Japan. We appreciate your support and cooperation.