We have made an urgent request to the Ministry of Justice.

In February 2015, a Filipino family who were overstaying their visas (father, mother, eldest son (high school student), second son (elementary school student), all born in Japan) were informed by the Tokyo Immigration Bureau that "the eldest and second sons may be able to remain in Japan, but the father and mother will have to return to their home country." It was later discovered that other families were also being told they would be separated from their children.

In response to the situation in which the Ministry of Justice's Immigration Bureau is attempting to separate parents and children, APFS submitted an urgent request to the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday, March 25, 2015, urging them to "treat parents and children, and husbands and wives, as a single entity and not arbitrarily separate families" (the contents of the request are included at the end). The Ministry of Justice responded with Mr. Hideharu Maruyama, Director of the Adjudication Division of the Immigration Bureau, and others.

Nearly 40 people, including those directly affected and their supporters, gathered in front of the Ministry of Justice, primarily families facing the risk of separation from their children, and made appeals through microphones. Those directly affected said things like, "Please don't separate parents and children," "It's sad for the children to be left alone," and "Please think more about human rights." Supporters said, "I love Japan, but there are so many people suffering from overstaying their visas. I believe the Japanese Ministry of Justice will do the right thing."

The Ministry of Justice stated that it was aware of the request, but did not provide a specific response.
APFS emphasized that families should be treated as a single entity and granted residency to families, and that this issue should be considered within the broader framework of immigration (foreigner) policy.

APFS will continue to take action to raise awareness of this issue among more people by holding parades to appeal to the public and by establishing support groups in local communities.

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March 25, 2015

Minister of Justice
To Yoko Kamikawa

ASIAN PEOPLE'S FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY (APFS), a specified non-profit organization.

Representative Director Jotaro Kato

Request

APFS strongly advocates treating parents and children, and spouses, as a single entity and preventing the arbitrary separation of families.

In February 2015, a Filipino family (father, mother, eldest son (high school student), second son (elementary school student)) who were overstaying their visas were informed by the Tokyo Immigration Bureau that "the eldest and second sons may be able to remain in Japan, but the father and mother will have to return to their home country." The Ministry of Justice and the Immigration Bureau are attempting to separate the parents and children.

The issue of separating foreign parents and children has existed for some time. In April 2009, the Calderon family, who were also overstaying their visas, saw their parents sent back to their home country, leaving Noriko alone in Japan. Six years later, why is the same practice still being carried out?

Overstaying a visa can be seen as a problem stemming from the country's economic structure. In Japan, there is still no visa status specifically for unskilled labor. As a result, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when there was a labor shortage, many foreigners came to Japan on "short-term stay" visas and were forced to work while overstaying their visas. In addition to deportation, a more flexible application of "special permission to stay" should be considered.

Article 9, paragraph 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which the Japanese government has also ratified, states that "States Parties shall ensure that a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will." Furthermore, Article 23, paragraph 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states that "the family is the natural and fundamental unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State." As the "natural and fundamental unit of society," the "family" must be "protected" in all respects.

Even for Filipino families, if the parents are forcibly deported, it is impossible to "protect" the "family." "Ensure that children are not separated from their parents." Furthermore, in addition to this Filipino family, several other foreign families in APFS are currently facing similar decisions.

Furthermore, there are undocumented immigrants who wish to continue living in Japan as the spouses of Japanese citizens (permanent residents). If a foreign spouse is deported, the couple will be forced to live in separate countries. Among the Japanese citizens (permanent residents), some require care for their parents, while others suffer from illnesses themselves.

It is not easy for Japanese citizens (permanent residents) or children born in Japan to start a new life in a foreign country. On the other hand, foreign spouses are familiar with life in Japan. All the couples supported by APFS are in a sincere relationship and are living a happy married life.

APFS strongly urges the Ministry of Justice not to separate parents and children, or husbands and wives, but to treat families as a single entity and not to arbitrarily separate them.