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ZWC_yamada 
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation with APFS.
Since October 2012, APFS has been working alongside 17 families and 3 individuals (34 people) of undocumented foreign residents to seek special permission to stay in Japan. Although the number of undocumented foreign residents has decreased statistically (62,009 as of January 2013), their desperate need for residency remains unchanged. APFS continues to work energetically with those affected, including the "Yurakucho/Ginza Parade" (November 2012), the "Human Chain" demonstration in front of the Ministry of Justice (December 2012), and the "Submission of a Petition to the Prime Minister's Office" (March 2013).
In May 2013, we held a week-long sit-in protest in front of the Tokyo Immigration Bureau. This action was conceived and carried out by the individuals involved themselves. Thanks to their efforts, the action was reported by TBS, Asahi Shimbun, Japan Times, and other media outlets. In order to obtain special permission to stay in Japan, it is crucial that society once again pays attention to the problems faced by undocumented foreign residents. We will continue to appeal to society for their continued residency.
Meanwhile, the case of the death of Mr. Abubagar Awudu Suraj (a Ghanaian national), which we have previously reported on, is reaching its final stages in the state compensation lawsuit. On Friday, September 13, 2013, from 10:00 to 17:00, we are scheduled to question the immigration officer who caused Mr. Suraj's death in courtroom 706 of the Tokyo District Court. We ask for your cooperation in attending the hearing. APFS intends to fight to the very end alongside the bereaved family.
In addition, we restarted the "Foreign Residents' Disaster Relief Project" in April 2013. In April 2013, six foreign members visited Rikuzentakata and Ofunato cities in Iwate Prefecture and engaged in activities such as providing foot baths for the elderly, creating flowerbeds, and logging forests. The contributions of these working-age foreign members were greatly appreciated in the disaster-stricken areas, which are experiencing an aging population. In the disaster-stricken areas, we heard comments such as, "Two years after the earthquake, we are finally able to cry again," suggesting that emotional support will be necessary going forward. There are many things that foreign members can do. APFS plans to dispatch foreign members to disaster-stricken areas three times a year.
In addition to the activities mentioned above, our office is engaged in "solution-oriented" consultations on a daily basis. We have cut expenses wherever possible, including personnel costs, but APFS's finances are strained in order to maintain the office and its full-time staff, as well as to cover the costs of daily operations.
We would like to ask for your donations. Your contributions will help support APFS's activities. We sincerely appreciate your cooperation.
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