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apfseditor 
"Human Chain Action"
- Calling for legal residence for 34 undocumented foreigners (18 families and 2 individuals) -
Date and time: Tuesday, December 25, 2012, 14:00-16:00
APFS held a "human chain" activity in front of the Ministry of Justice on Tuesday, December 25, 2012. This activity follows the Ginza parade held on November 18, 2012, calling for legal residence for undocumented foreigners consisting of 34 people from 18 families and 2 individuals. In front of the Ministry of Justice, the 34 people from 18 families and 2 individuals, along with their friends and supporters, held hands and raised their voices to convey to the Ministry of Justice that "our lives are difficult because we have not been granted residence permits," and "we do not want to be separated from our families."
On the day, despite the cold weather, 34 people from 18 families and 2 individuals gathered in front of the Ministry of Justice, along with over 70 people from APFS, the Association to Support JOY, and the Preparatory Committee for the Association to Support the TORRES Family. Each of the irregular foreign residents spoke to the Ministry of Justice about their "feelings" regarding their stay.
(Actual voice)
"Please don't tear my family apart."
"I want to be in Japan with my family and everyone. I want to live together!"
"I may be a foreigner, but I was born and raised in Japan, so I wouldn't understand anything if I went to my parents' country. My parents have also lived in Japan for many years and have become accustomed to the environment here. So I want to stay in Japan with my whole family."
From children to adults, some of them were crying as they conveyed their feelings. Afterwards, they joined hands and formed a "human chain" in front of the Ministry of Justice. They filled the street in front of the Ministry of Justice, showing the Ministry their desire to obtain residence permits and the feelings of their supporters through their actions.
Perhaps the feelings of the activity were conveyed, but in the end, APFS representative Kato was able to hand over a petition to the Ministry of Justice, requesting that 34 irregular foreign residents from 18 families and 2 individuals be granted legal residence permits. They were able to convey their feelings through the petition. However, there is no guarantee that they will be granted residence permits, and they will need to continue their "activities of communicating" and "activities of appealing" to seek for residence permits in the future. APFS will do its utmost to support the people involved and push forward toward their goal of obtaining residence permits.