Families of undocumented foreign residents have drafted a petition addressed to the Minister of Justice.

On July 22, 2012, approximately 30 families of undocumented foreign residents drafted a petition addressed to the Minister of Justice at the Itabashi Ward Cultural Center. Their aim was to express, in their own words, their request for special permission to stay in Japan. The petition was divided into sections for children and adults.

In the adults' requests, one statement indicated that their best memory of Japan was "meeting Japanese colleagues and friends." In the children's requests, statements included, "I want to stay in Japan with my family and everyone," and "Please don't separate my family." This shows that the children are seeking family unity in Japan. Both adults and children conclude their requests with, "Please grant us a visa (special permission to stay)."

The petition will be submitted directly to the Ministry of Justice (Minister of Justice) by the parties involved. We would appreciate your continued support.

[Thank you for your support: Two families, a total of six people, have obtained special permission to stay in Japan!]
Of the 15 families and 2 individuals (35 people total) of undocumented foreign residents that APFS has been supporting, 2 families (6 people total) from Burma and Sri Lanka obtained special residence permits in July 2012. This is entirely thanks to everyone's encouragement and cooperation. Thank you very much. We would appreciate your continued support until all families obtain special residence permits.