Tokyo Gov Ishihara encourages witch hunt for J politicians with naturalized ancestors

Posted on April 20, 2010September 14, 2012 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Tokyo Governor Ishihara’s latest rant has him accusing the ruling parties of having naturalized citizens for ancestors, therefore they want NJ PR suffrage. This latest smear campaign has finally turned Ishihara from a committed politician into a politician who should be committed.

It hardly bears fully iterating, but: Here we have this dangerous tendency of Ishihara solidifying into a fully-formed ideology, based upon the fundamental tenets that 1) foreigners cannot be trusted, 2) foreigners are always foreigners, even if they are Japanese citizens for generations, 3) foreigners think along blood lines and will work against Japanese interests if their blood is not Japanese. In other words, personal belief is a matter of genetics. But these blood-based arguments went out of fashion a few generations ago when we saw that they led to things such as pogroms and genocides. Yet some of the most powerful people in Japan (in this case the governor of one of the world’s major cities) not only fervently believe it, but also create political parties to rally others around it.

This is beyond pathological racism. This is the febrile insanity of a mean old man who has long since lost control of himself and his grasp of reality after so many years in power. And as evidenced above, he will even encourage xenophobic witch hunts for people on allegations of blood and ethnicity to push a political agenda that has one horrible conclusion: hatred, exclusion, and silencing of others.

Dietmember Fukushima is right to call it racial discrimination and call for a retraction (and threaten legal action). But she must also make it clear to the public that even if somebody was naturalized, it is not a problem: Naturalized Japanese are real Japanese too. Otherwise there’s no point to naturalization. But for people like Ishihara, that IS the point; as I’ve written before, it makes no difference to racists whether or not people become Japanese citizens, despite the protests of those opposing votes for NJ PRs. “If they want the right to vote, they should naturalize” has been and always will be a red herring to genuine xenophobes, so see it for what it is — a Trojan Horse of an argument camouflaging racism as reasonableness.

These are the people who should be booted from power. Give NJ PRs the vote and we’re one step closer. Don’t, and these bigots only grow stronger.

Asahi: J companies abandoning old hiring and promotion practices, offering NJ employees equitable positions (seriously, that’s what they say!). Come again?

Posted on April 12, 2010April 12, 2010 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Here’s something that goes against common experience and common sense: The Asahi claiming that more major Japanese companies are hiring NJ more equitably. As in, they’ll be leaders in a quarter-century or so. Yeah, I heard that back in the Eighties during the “Kokusaika Boom”, when I too was hired at Japanese companies to help with companies “internationalization”, and got out real quick when I realized it was fallacious. What do others think? Have things changed? I have included some posts below from The Commnity talking about this, and they seem to disagree with the Asahi.

Asahi: With overseas markets increasingly seen as the key to their survival, Japanese companies are adopting a more “international” look at home involving changes that would have been unheard of years ago.

Long-held practices in hiring have been scrapped, as have limits on positions available to non-Japanese at the companies’ head offices in Tokyo and other Japanese cities.

Methods of communication have shifted as foreigners take on increasingly important roles in devising strategy for overseas sales.

The employment of Lee Guanglin Samson, a 29-year-old Singaporean, is one example of how electronic appliance maker Toshiba Corp. is evolving.

“Judging that a more global use of human personnel is necessary, we decided not to use Japanese-language abilities as a requirement for employment,” said Seiichiro Suzuki, head of Toshiba’s personnel center. “Those whom we want are people who will be able to become leaders of business divisions 25 years later.”

Comment from a job interviewee: Had two interviews at two major Japanese companies about two months ago (Nitori, the “home fashion” store found throughout Japan, and Zensho, the company behind Sukiya and family restaurants, 3rd largest food company behind McDonalds and Skylark). I got “we don’t think a foreigner can handle the intense Japanese work environment” from both, Nitori in particular narrowed it down from “foreigner” to “Americans,” saying that it’s not likely I’d be able to keep up, and even if I did, I would just get burned out, because that’s just how Americans are.

More Juuminhyou idiocies: Dogs now allowed Residency Certificates in Tokyo Itabashi-ku. But not NJ residents, of course.

Posted on April 8, 2010April 8, 2010 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Debito.org Reader KC just submitted two articles (I had heard about this, but was busy with other stuff and neglected to blog it, sorry) about Tokyo Itabashi-ku giving Residency Certificates (juuminhyou) to dogs. Fine, but how about foreigners? They are still not allowed to get their own.

For those who came in late, brief background on the issue: NJ get a different registry certificate, are not automatically listed on their families’ Residency Certificates unless they request it and only if the bureaucrat in charge believes they are “effective head of household”, and are not counted as “residents” anyway in some population tallies despite paying residency taxes). Japan is the only country I know of (and definitely the only developed country) requiring citizenship for residency. This is said to be changing by 2012. But I won’t cheer this legal “vaporware” until after it happens, and it still comes after the humiliation of long allowing sea mammals and cartoon characters their own residency certificates overnight. To wit: 自治体は動物や架空の存在に住民票を発行する（『たまちゃん』横浜（2003）、『鉄腕アトム』新座市（2003）、『クレヨンしんちゃん』日下部市（2004）、『クーちゃん』釧路市（2009）など。More on the issue here.

A personal hero, Chong Hyang Gyun, retires her nursing post at 60

Posted on April 5, 2010April 5, 2010 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Although I like to devote Mondays to “bigger news”, I’d like to take this day to salute a personal hero of mine, former nurse Chong Hyang Gyun, a Zainichi Korean who, like any other qualified civil servant in Japan, expected to be promoted commensurate with her experience and dedication.

But not in Japan. She in 1994 was denied even the opportunity to sit the administrative civil service exam because, despite her being born in Japan, raised in Japan, a native speaker of Japanese, and a taxpayer in and contributor to Japan like any other, she was still, in the eyes of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, a “foreigner”, therefore not to be trusted with administrative power over Japanese (the old “Nationality Clause”, kokuseki joukou, struck again).

So she sued for the right to sit the exam nearly twenty years ago. Over more than ten years she lost, won, then ultimately lost in the Supreme Court, which, in a landmark setback for civil rights and assimilation, ruled there was nothing unconstitutional in denying her the right to chose her occupation and employment opportunities.

Now she’s retired as of April 1 (although rehired and working fewer hours). I’m just grateful that she tried. Some occupations are completely denied to NJ, including public-sector food preparation (for fear that NJ might poison our bureaucrats) and firefighting (for fear that NJ entering Japanese houses and perhaps damaging Japanese property might cause an international incident), that it becomes ludicrous for NJ to even consider a public-service job in Japan.(*) Especially if the “glass ceiling” (in fact, an iron barrier, thanks to the Supreme Court) means you can never reach your potential. The Chong-san Case made that clear, to Japan’s shame.

Mainichi: New real estate guarantor service set up for NJ residents

Posted on January 11, 2010January 11, 2010 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Mainichi: A Tokyo non-profit organization has set up a new real estate guarantor service for foreign residents negotiating Japan’s notoriously discriminative housing system.

The service, the first of its kind, is set up by the Information Center for Foreigners in Japan and will start offering guarantor services in Tokyo and surrounding prefectures in South Korean and Chinese later this month. The services will later be expanded to cover people from English-speaking countries.

The service was set up after a 2006 questionnaire showed that foreign residents in Tokyo were visiting an average of 15 real estate agents [!!!} before finding a landlord willing to lease a home to them. Common excuses given were language problems, different lifestyle habits and fears over non-payment of rent…

祝「ダーリンは外国人」の映画化、「トニー」についてパロディーマンガ

Posted on December 31, 2009January 2, 2010 by Dr. Debito Arudou

大晦日として、大栗さおりさんの大成功したシリーズ「ダーリンは外国人」の映画化を祝いたいと思います。おめでとうございます。４月ロードショーとなりますので、どうぞ皆様お楽しみに。

ちなみに、メインキャラクターの「トニーラズロ」(Tony Laszlo）の描写と実物のことは色々違いがあるように気をしてならなりません。なので、このマンガはパロディーとして載せさせていただきたいと思います。どうぞ宜しくお願い致します。良いお年を！

NPA now charging suspect Ichihashi with Hawker murder, not just “abandoning her corpse”. Why the delay?

Posted on December 9, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Now here’s what I don’t get. Ichihashi’s charge has been upgraded from corpse abandonment to outright murder. But why wasn’t it before? What new information has been brought out since his apprehension? Police already knew about the body, the disposed-of hair, the fact that she accompanied Ishihashi to his apartment and was last seen there. And now suddenly his DNA matches bodily fluid found on her corpse. But didn’t the police know all of this before? It’s not as though Ichihashi’s interrogation revealed him admitting any new information (after all, he’s not talking).

Why is it that he gets charged with mere corpse abandonment (something that frequently happens when a NJ gets killed) up until now, whereas if something like this is done to a Japanese victim (as posters with Ichihashi’s fellow murder suspects indicate), it gets a full-blown murder charge? Why the delay until now? I wish I had the information to answer these questions.

Final thing I find odd: Good for father Mr Hawker being tenacious about this case. There are plenty of other murders (Tucker Murder, Honiefaith Murder, Lacey Murder, and Blackman Murder) and assaults (Barakan Assault) of NJ that the NPA and the criminal courts gave up on all too easily. Does the family of the NJ victim have to pursue things more doggedly than the police before the NPA will actually get on it (as they had to do for Lucie Blackman’s killer, and he still got acquitted for it)? It only took the NPA close to three years to get Ichihashi, and that was after a tip from a face change clinic (not any actual police investigation).

Why this half-assedness for crimes against NJ? Sorry, there’s lots of things here that just don’t make sense, and they point to different judicial standards for NJ victims of J crime.

Sauce for the gander: Czech national abducts his child of J-NJ marriage; MOFA “powerless w/o Hague”

Posted on November 9, 2009November 9, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Finally we have the turnabout that I bet will precipitate Japan signing the Hague. A Czech father has reportedly abducted his child out of Japan, and the MOFA says it is powerless since Japan is not a party to the Hague Treaty on Child Abductions. Well, sauce for the gander, isn’t it?

Two things I find interesting about this case is 1) the MOFA is reportedly working to try and get the child back (contrast with the USG, which recently wouldn’t even open the front gates of one of its consulates to three of its citizens), and 2) once again, the same reporting agency (Kyodo) omits data depending on language, see articles below. It claims in Japanese that (as usual) the NJ husband was violent towards the J wife (in other words, it takes the claim of the wife at face value; how unprofessional), and neglects to mention that in English. Heh. Gotta make us Japanese into victims again.

Anyway, if this will get Japan to sign the Hague, great. Problem is, as usual, I see it being enforced at this point to get J kids back but never return them overseas (since the J authorities aren’t going to give more rights to foreigners than they give their own citizens, who lose their kids after divorce due to the koseki system, anyway). But I guess I’m being just a little too cynical. I hope.

Asahi and Mainichi: J Supreme Court rules against Nationality Clause for employment in judiciary

Posted on November 2, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

In probably one of the most important legal decisions all year, the Supreme Court has ruled that the “Nationality Clause” (kokuseki joukou), often cited as a reason for barring NJ from administrative (and often, even stable noncontracted) jobs in the public sector, has been scrapped. I’m not sure if that means it’s been ruled “unconstitutional”, but the clause in the Mainichi below, (“The citizenship requirement was eliminated because the courts could be seen as denying employment based solely on the question of citizenship,” the court stated.) could reasonably be stretched in future cases to say that barring NJ from jobs (currently allowed in places such as firefighting and food preparation, and also in Tokyo Prefecture for nursing) should not be permitted. That would be excellent news for the long-suffering NJ academics in Japan’s higher-education system of Academic Apartheid.

JK: recent moves by Japan’s Immigration Bureau that seem like loosening but not really

Posted on October 13, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Minister grants Chinese daughters of Japanese war orphan permission to stay in Japan

JK COMMENTS: But this is a hollow victory at best because the 在留特別許可 that was fought so hard for is only good for a year *and* with strings attached:

“Kana, 21, a first-year student at Tezukayama University, and Yoko, 19, also in her first year at Osaka University of Economics and Law, were given long-term resident visas good for one year. The visa conditions allow the sisters to work in Japan, take trips outside the country, and may be renewed if the sisters can provide for their own livelihoods.”

This whole situation is just plain wrong on so many levels — the sisters landed in Japan when they were 9 and 7 and are now attending college. The two are de facto Japanese citizens, and yet it took 6 years of churn and an act of God (well, almost!) just so that they can stay in Japan for another year on a short leash. If the archipelago was about to burst at the seams with humanity, I could understand the need for all the wrangling, but as we all know this simply isn’t the case, and in fact the opposite is true, which is why the government needs to stop picking nits already!

McDonald’s “Mr James” Campaign: FRANCA’s downloadable protest letter in Japanese

Posted on August 20, 2009August 26, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Here is the Japanese translation for FRANCA letter protesting the “Mr James” burger campaign currently underway at McDonald’s Japan. You can see the original English here.

Please feel free to copy and send this letter to McDonald’s yourself via their feedback inlets on their website. Better yet, take it to your local McDonald’s doing this campaign, ask for the manager, and hand them this letter to express your disgruntlement. You can download the Word version of it here:

http://www.debito.org/FRANCAMrJamesJpublic.doc
Please also consider not buying food at McDonald’s for the duration of this (three-month) campaign. Maybe tell the manager that when you submit your letter.

Talked to the media yesterday. An article on this issue should be appearing in the South China Morning Post tomorrow (Friday). It’s already appeared on Consumerist.com…

UN NEWS: UN expert calls on Japan to boost action in combating human trafficking

Posted on July 23, 2009July 23, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

UN NEWS: 17 July 2009 — Although Japan recognizes the seriousness of the problem of human trafficking within its borders, the East Asian nation must take more concrete action to fight the scourge, an independent United Nations human rights expert said today.

“Human trafficking affects every country of the world, and Japan is clearly affected as a destination country for many of those victims,” said Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, wrapping up a six-day visit to the country.

The majority of trafficking is for prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation in Japan, but she pointed out that trafficking for labour exploitation is also cause for great concern.

New Immigration Law with IC Chip Gaijin Cards passes Diet

Posted on July 9, 2009July 9, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

The new IC Chipped Gaijin Cards will be a reality. Gonna have to start looking on the bright side of things, like the fact that NJ will now have juuminhyou instead. Commentary and links from Anonymous:

“As I’m sure that you’ve heard, today was a not a good day for NJ rights. The immigration revision formally passed the upper house today, July 8, 2009. With the various changes…” Several news clippings in Japanese, feel free to add them in English:

Chunichi Shinbun May 11, 2009 on New IC Gaijin Card debate

Posted on May 12, 2009May 13, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Excellent article in yesterday’s Chunichi Shinbun on what’s the problem with the new proposed IC Gaijin Cards, and how the extra policing that NJ will have to endure will just make life worse for a lot of people. Again, the goal is only to police, not to actually help NJ assimilate and make a better life here.

In particular, read the contrarian arguments. Now this is how we proceed with a debate. We get people who know what they’re talking about to express the minority view (for where else is it going to be heard?). As opposed to last night’s TV Tackle, which basically had the status quo maintained with the same old commentators spouting much the same old party lines.

今夜９時テレビ朝日『TVタックル』：「ニッポンは天国？地獄？在日外国人決起集会」

Posted on May 11, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

■５月１１日（月）２１：００〜２１：５４　
テレビ朝日『ビートたけしのTVタックル』http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/tvtackle/
「ニッポンは天国？地獄？在日外国人決起集会」
　「経済危機」に続いて「新型インフルエンザ」の恐怖に世界中が大混乱の中、国際社会で今こそ日本が果たすべき役割とは?　今夜は韓国、ブラジル、中国から来た在日外国人の皆さんとともに徹底討論してまいります。
　永住権を持つ外国人の地方選挙への参政権を認めようという「外国人参政権」ですが、賛成・反対が入り乱れている今、日本の進むべき方向性とは?
　また、不況のあおりで仕事も住居も失ってしまった外国人労働者たちの処遇について、厚生省の日系人帰国支援制度３０万円が「手切れ金」だとの声もあり、日本政府の対応が問われています。

5月13日(水)2PM院内集会「在留カードに異議あり！」NGO実行委員会

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

審議真っ最中！
ここが問題！入管法・入管特例法改定案＆住基法改定案
5月13日(水)　院内集会第4弾
「特別永住者にとってプラスになるか？」
【日時】　5月13日(水)　14:00〜15:00
【場所】　衆議院第二議員会館第一会議室
【主催】　「在留カードに異議あり！」NGO実行委員会
◆ますます広がる批判と不安の声に耳を傾けて！
【4回目のテーマ】「永住者・特別永住者にとって今回の法改定は」
【集会内容】○NGOからの問題提起
田中宏さん（外国人人権法連絡会共同代表）／佐藤信行さん（RAIK）

Calderon Case: Two protesters against right-wing demo arrested, supporters group established

Posted on April 17, 2009April 17, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

The Community: This is an email I got through a left-leaning mailing list which describes a ‘Foreigner Expulsion’ demonstration that happened in Saitama, which passed right by the elementary school of the Philipino Calderon family whose case has recently come to national attention.

Apparently a ‘kyuuenkai’ (support group) has been set up for two people arrested protesting against the demo. Here is their blog, and an example of the blog by the rightists…

See I told you so #2: Oct-Jan 1000 “Trainees” repatriated, returning to debts.

Posted on April 10, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Mainichi: More than 1,000 foreign trainees involved in government programs were forced to return home as sponsor companies have been suffering from the deteriorating economy, a government survey has revealed… “Most of the trainees took out a loan of about 700,000 yen to 1 million yen to come to Japan,” said a representative of Advocacy Network for Foreign Trainees in Tokyo’s Taito Ward. “If they return home before their contract period ends, they will be left in debt.

COMMENT: Here come the stats. The “Trainees” (mostly Chinese workers in Japanese farms and factories), which I discussed in part in my most recent Japan Times article, are being sent home in large numbers, to face debts. Oh well, they’re not Nikkei. They don’t get any assistance. Just the promise of a “review” by May 2009, something people have been clamoring for since at least November 2006! Yet it only took a month or so for the GOJ to come up with and inaugurate something to help the Nikkei, after all (see above JT article). But again, wrong blood.

I think we’ll see a drop in the number of registered NJ for the first time in more than four decades this year. Maybe that’ll be See I told you so #3. I hope I’m wrong this time, however.

Free Legal Consultation for NJ workers March 1, Sapporo

Posted on February 22, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

The legal service network for non-Japanese, a group of experienced lawyers dedicated to supporting non-Japanese residents, will provide free legal consultation to NJ working and living in Hokkaido on labor issues such as wrongful termination, unpaid wages, discrimination, harassment, and injury in the workplace. If you would like to seek legal advice about what course of action to take, please feel free to give us a call or come in for a consultation.

Date: March 1st, 2009 (Sun) 10:00-15:00
Sapporo Bengoshi Bldg. 5F
Kita 1 Nishi 10, Chuo-ku, Sapporo
(3 min. on foot from Exit 4, Nishi 11-chome Subway Station)

Japanese stewardesses sue Turkish Airlines for discrim employment conditions

Posted on February 9, 2009February 9, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Here’s something that didn’t make the English-language news anywhere, as far as Google searches show. Japanese stewardesses are suing Turkish Airlines for unfair treatment and arbitrary termination of contract. They were also, according to some news reports I saw on Google and TV, angry at other working conditions they felt were substandard, such as lack of changing rooms. So they formed a union to negotiate with the airline, and then found themselves fired.

Fine. But this is definite Shoe on the Other Foot stuff, especially given the conditions that NJ frequently face in the Japanese workplace. Let’s hope this spirit of media understanding rubs off for NJ who might want to sue Japanese companies for the same sort of thing.

IMADR: 管理ではなく「共生」のための制度を！—入管法改悪「在留カード」制度など

Posted on January 21, 2009 by Dr. Debito Arudou

１）管理ではなく「共生」のための制度を！—入管法改悪「在留カード」制度
　　に反対する外国籍＆日本籍市民の共同集会—
・主催：「在留カードに異議あり！」NGO実行委員会
　　　　　（呼びかけ団体：外国人人権法連絡会）
・日時： 2009年1月24日(土)　午後 2時〜5時
・場所：在日本韓国YMCAアジア青少年センター　9Fホール
　　　　（東京都千代田区猿楽町2-5-5）

Mainichi: NJ cause Tsukiji to ban all tourists for a month

Posted on December 5, 2008December 5, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Tsukiji is enforcing an outright ban for a month on all visitors to Tsukiji fish market, the world’s largest. The Mainichi says the Tokyo Govt claims it’s due to NJ tourists and their bad manners (or so the Japanese headline says below — the English headline just says they’re too numerous; thanks, Mainichi, for sweetening your translations, again). And the fish market itself claims they cannot communicate the rules with Johnny Foreigner in their foreign tongues (nobody there has ever heard of handing out multilingual pamphlets upon entry or putting up signs?). Anyway, I wonder if this issue is so simply a matter of NJ manners?

Anyway, this isn’t the first time Tsukiji Market has threatened to do this, but this is the first I’ve heard of an outright ban. Moreover, using a purported language barrier as a real barrier to entry and service is becoming the catch-all excuse, as we are increasingly seeing in Japanese businesses, such as banks and insurance agencies. Beats actually making more efforts to cater to the customer, in this case the tourists eating the fish around the marketplace after the marketing, I guess.

janjan.jp: 河野太郎氏　2008/11/17付　国籍法の改正について

Posted on November 17, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Ｑ．「二重国籍に関する座長私案」とはなんですか。

Ａ．現在の国籍法では、両親の国際結婚などで重国籍を持つ者が二十二歳になったときにどちらかの国籍を選択しなければならないという国籍法の規定があります。しかし、この規定が有名無実化しているという問題があります。現時点でおそらく六十万人以上の重国籍者が二十二歳での国籍選択をしていないという状況にあります。

　国籍選択を厳密に実施するか、重国籍を認めるのかという議論をこの一年続けてきましたが、重国籍を認めるとしたらどう認めるべきかという議論のたたき台を「座長私案」という形で出すことになりました。これをもとに今後、じっくりと重国籍に関する議論を進めていくことになります。

2008.11.20　日本版US-VISIT開始から１年　院内集会 [えっ！外国人登録証がなくなるの？」

Posted on November 14, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

————————————————————————–
2008.11.20　日本版US-VISIT開始から１年　院内集会
えっ！外国人登録証がなくなるの？
2009年入管法改悪・「在留カード」導入案に待った！
————————————————————————–

日時：2008年11月20日（木）　12時45分　～　14時15分
会場：衆議院第二議員会館　第一会議室
※ 地下鉄「国会議事堂前」駅下車　徒歩3分）
※ １階ロビーにて通行証をお渡しします。

【内容】
（１）指紋押捺制度廃止から日本版US-VISIT導入まで
報告：佐藤信行さん（在日韓国人問題研究所・RAIK）
（２）当事者からの発言／2007年11月20日法務省前行動のビデオ上映を予定
（３）どうなる？　2009年入管法改定
　「外登証」を廃止して、「在留カード」「外国人台帳制度」へ
報告：旗手明さん（自由人権協会・JCLU）
（４）「在留カード」が導入されたら…懸念される問題点
教育（子ども）／医療サービス／難民申請者

毎日：国際結婚と子の親権　連れ帰れば「幼児誘拐罪」・「北朝鮮の拉致を非難する日本が拉致をしている」と批判

Posted on November 2, 2008November 3, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

　国際結婚が破綻（はたん）した後、日本女性が子どもを一方的に日本に連れ帰るケースが増加し、日本と諸外国の間で外交問題となっている。

　日本女性のＡ子さんはスウェーデン人の男性との結婚に破れ、子どもを連れて日本に帰国。その後、単身米国に渡った時、空港で身柄拘束された。スウェーデンの警察から国際刑事警察機構（インターポール）を通じて幼児誘拐罪で国際手配されていたのだ。Ａ子さんはスウェーデンに送られ、裁判にかけられた。３年前のことである。

　国際結婚に破れたカップルの一方が、子の親権、面会権などを確定しないまま、子どもをそれまでの居住国から自分の母国に連れ帰ることは「国際的な子の奪取の民事面に関する条約」（ハーグ条約）で不法とされている。米欧諸国を中心に８０カ国が締約国となっているが、問題は日本が未締約なことだ。

　日本女性と子どもが日本に戻ってしまい、外国人の夫が親権を求めているケースは、相手国政府がつかんでいるだけでも日米間で約５０件、カナダとの間では約３０件。このほか英、オーストラリア、イタリアなどとの間でもある。外国人の夫らは子の親権や面会権を求めて日本で裁判を起こしてもほとんど認められず、日本側の固い壁に不満が募っている。

　在日カナダ大使館は今年３月、米加両国政府担当者が参加したハーグ条約についてのシンポジウムを開催。７月、サミットで訪日したハーパー加首相もこの問題を取り上げた。「北朝鮮の拉致を非難する日本が拉致をしている」と批判する外交当局者もいる。先進国の中で日本は守勢に立たされているのが実情だ。

Fukushima Prefectural Tourist Information Association lists “No Foreigner” hotels on their official website, 2007

Posted on October 10, 2008October 10, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

As a matter of record, here is a notification I received from a reader last year regarding the Tourist Information Fukushima website, an official prefectural government site, which offered information about sights and stays in the area. They allowed — even publicized — hotels that expressly refused accommodation to NJ guests (I called a few of them to confirm, and yes, they don’t want NJ guests due to the owner’s own classic fears — language barriers, no Western beds, a fear that NJ might steal, or noncommunication in case of emergency or trouble). As the emails I received from TIF later on indicate (it took them some time to get back to me), they have since instructed the hotels that what they are doing is in violation of hotel laws, and have corrected the TIF website to remove the option of refusing foreigners.

Thanks, I guess. Now why a government agency felt like offering hotels an exclusionary option in the first place is a bit stupefying.

Given October 2008’s GOJ hotel survey indicating that 27% of respondents didn’t want NJ staying on their premises, this may be but the tip of the iceberg.

Discussion: Nationality vs. ethnicity. Japan’s media lays claim to naturalized J-American Nobel Prizewinner

Posted on October 9, 2008October 9, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

I think we have an interesting opportunity to discuss issues of ethnicity vs. nationality in Japan, with the J media’s treatment of three recent Nobel Prizewinners.

The J media claimed yesterday that “three Japanese just won a Nobel for Physics”, even though one emigrated to the United States, has lived there for 56 years, and has worked at the University of Chicago for 40. From an American and Japanese standpoint he’s ethnically Japanese, of course (he was born and lived his formative years in Japan). But he’s certifiably American in terms of nationality (one assumes he gave up his Japanese citizenship, which would be required under normal circumstances as Japan does not allow dual nationality). That didn’t stop Japan’s media from headlining that “3 Japanese won”. What do readers think? Is it appropriate?

岩手日日：「日本の国際化テーマに」Iwate NichiNichi on recent speech

Posted on October 2, 2008October 2, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

岩手日日新聞：「日本の国際化テーマに　北上　有道さんが講演」
Iwate NichiNichi Shinbun has article on one of my recent speeches down south, complete with my new beard.

Archive: ディエンと右翼派反応、「日本移民列島」、外国人２００万人突破 (June 1, 2006)

Posted on September 15, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／
１）国連のディエン特別報告者の東京、大阪、沖縄訪問
２）右翼派の反発：単行本「危ない！人権擁護法案
　　迫り来る先進国型値全体主義の恐怖」出版
３）毎日：在住外国人登録者は２００万人突破
４）毎日：河野太郎議員：「外国人の日本人口の３％の比例に限度を」
　　（法務省と毎日新聞も現在の在住外国人人口比例の統計を誤って報道）
５）週刊ダイヤモンド：「ニッポン移民列島」２００４年特集
６）「巡回連絡カード」、警察官自宅訪問、職務質問の解答は任意？
７）移住連：全国フォーラム６月２４日〜２５日、札幌市
８）気分転換；二カ国語インタビュー（ポッドキャスト）
／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／

アーカイブより：萱野茂氏死去、国連ディエン再来日、旅行会社国籍別料金、「外人をこき使え！」英会話ゼミはサイトを改訂、緩和

Posted on September 6, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／
１）人権かつマイノリティー権を唱えた萱野茂元国会議員死去
２）国連代表ドゥドぅ・ディエン氏は５月中旬沖縄、大阪かつ東京へ訪問
３）旅行会社HISとNo.1トラベルは外国人客に料金を上乗せ
４）「外人をこき使え！」英会話ゼミはサイトを改訂、緩和
５）「鳥取県人権侵害救済推進及び手続に関する条例」について私のJapan Timesコラム
／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／／

中国人実習生：給与改善求めトラブル…帰国無理強い

Posted on September 5, 2008September 5, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

山梨県昭和町のクリーニング会社「テクノクリーン」（内田正文社長）で働いていた３０代の中国人女性実習生６人が、最低賃金を下回る給与の改善を求めたところ、同社が６人を無理やり帰国させようとしてトラブルとなり、実習生３人が骨折などのけがをしていたことが分かった。３人は傷害容疑での刑事告訴を検討。最低賃金との差額の未払いは、労働基準法に違反するとして、労働基準監督署へ申し立てる方針。

　３人はその後、外国人研修・技能実習生を支援する「全統一労働組合」（東京都台東区）に保護された。残る３人は２４日、同社関係者に連れられ成田空港から帰国した。

First Waiwai, now Japan Times’ Tokyo Confidential now in Internet “Japan Image Police” sights

Posted on August 5, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Here we have an article talking about how the sights are turning from the Mainichi Waiwai to the Japan Times “Tokyo Confidential” column–in the same spirit of making sure outsiders don’t “misunderstand” Japan (by reading potentially negative stuff already found in the domestic press). The Japanese language is only supposed to be for domestic consumption, after all, right? How dare non-natives translate the secret code? Anyway, it’s one more good reason why you don’t deal with anonymous Internet bullies–giving in to them only makes them stronger–and more hypocritical given press freedom and the freedom of speech they wallow in. Let’s hope the Japan Times has the guts to stand up to them.

2008緊急シンポジウム　非正規滞在（オーバーステイ）2008年7月21日東京都千代田区、など

Posted on July 17, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

１．2008緊急シンポジウム
非正規滞在（オーバーステイ）者〜排除の上に築く共生でいいのか？〜
───────────────────────────────────
※IMADR-JCが参加する外国人人権法連絡会の共催イベントです。

■日時：2008年7月21日（月・祝日）　pm. 2:00〜5:00 (開場　pm. 1:30)
■会場：韓国YMCA　（東京都千代田区猿楽町2-5-5）
　　　　JR水道橋駅徒歩6分、御茶ノ水駅徒歩9分、地下鉄神保町駅徒歩7分
　　　　地図は以下URLを参照　http://www.ymcajapan.org/ayc/jp/map1.htm　
■参加費：1000円　　通訳：英語

「ニューカマー」の来日から20年以上が経過しました。当初、そのほとんどを
占めた非正規滞在者は1993年をピークに減少し、2008年には約17万人となって
います。しかし現在も、多くの非正規滞在者がこの社会で暮らしています。こ
の間、数万人の非正規滞在者が、在留特別許可によって合法化されてきました。

その一方で、非正規滞在者を犯罪の温床である「不法滞在者」として捉えるま
なざしが定着し、政府も2003年から取り締まりを強化してきました。加えて来
年、新たな在留管理制度を構築し、非正規滞在者をいっさい排除しようとして
います。

少子化を背景に、移民の「受け入れ」議論が「多文化共生」をキーワードに各
界で始まっています。しかしそれは、非正規滞在者を排除した上での「共生」
でしかなく、NGOや市民団体が長年訴えてきた「多民族・多文化共生」とは異
なっています。

シンポジウムでは、こうした「共生」と「排除」が同時進行する現状を、非正
規滞在者の視点から考えてみたいと思います。ぜひご参加ください。

Jenkins get his Permanent Residency in record time. Congratulations, but…

Posted on July 12, 2008July 12, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Just heard yesterday that Charles Jenkins, long-suffering veteran of North Korea (who got a very harsh life after defecting from the US military from South Korea, before I was even born!), just got his Permanent Residency (eiuuken) in record time (a coupla weeks). And with fewer years spent here (four) than the average applicant (generally five years if married to a Japanese, ten if not married). With personal consideration from Justice Minister Hatoyama.

Congratulations Mr Jenkins. Seriously. I’m very happy you can stay here with your family as long as you like, and may you have a peaceful and happy rest of your life out on Sadogashima.

But I wish the often strict procedures given other applicants could have applied to him as well. Again, as with the case of Fujimori (who was “naturalized” in about the same amount of procedural time) and certain sports figures, politics keeps infiltrating the application process for assimilation. Inevitable, some might say, but still a shame when there are people as eminently qualified as Mr Jenkins being refused…

Japan Timesコラム和訳：「魔のG8サミット接近中:7月のG8長談義は日本で悪いことばかり目立ち、ホスト北海道には何の利益もないだろう」

Posted on June 29, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

私のジャパンタイムズの記事の翻訳：

国際イベントというものは、日本に最悪なことをもたらす傾向がある。官僚主義的で何でもコントロールしなければ気がすまない性格を持ち合わせている日本は、世界が注目しているときになおさら、その傾向が数倍にも強まり、政府はここぞとばかり、“安全”を口実に、法律で処理しがたいほどの権力を発揮するのである。（中略）

網を広げて、いわれのない人まで捕獲しようとしている。G8市民フォーラム北海道の越田清和事務局長によると、女性労働者の権利の主張者が、今年に入って日本への入国を拒否された。アジア女性協会の韓国の活動家キム・エシュウさんは、この団体の公式代表者として昨年日本に入国したが、今年になり、個人としてのみ入国を許可された。政府は、潜在的なトラブルメーカーとみなした人物を数ヶ月前から監視する動きがでている。

ここにすでに書いたように、市民の自由はサミットを前に蝕まれている。洞爺湖やその周辺がサミット期間中に一般人の出入りを閉鎖するだけではない。警察の命令により、札幌市の３つの公園での集会を7月1日から11日まで規制する、昨年12月に札幌市は発表した。抗議の末、自粛に訂正されたが、結局は同じである。（中略）

ポイントは、国際イベントは日本に悪い習慣をもたらす、ということである。それでは、2016年オリンピック開催の候補地に名乗りを上げている東京はどうなる？　一般市民を押さえつける、さらなる騒々しい公式の恐怖と取り締まりキャンペーンのきっかけになり、この幼稚な国家で最も得をするのは、警察なのだ。

結論。政治システムの点から日本はこのようなイベントのホスト国としてはまだ十分成熟しているとはいえない、と私は思う。訪問するだけなのに日本以外の国が恐ろしいかのように日本社会を脅かして人々を煽るのをやめるために、メディアは言うまでもなく、行政の適切なチェックとバランスを日本は発達させなければならない。日本の役人にブレーキをかけ、未熟のままの市民社会で取り締まるという警察国家に日本が変わっていかないよう防ぐ必要がある。（後略）

サミットの関係で、外国人ジャーナリストが拘束、強制退去

Posted on June 28, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

日刊ベリタの木村記者：Ｇ８サミットが目前に迫った昨今、外国人が空港で足止めされるという事態があいついでいます。

政府関係者および大手メディア以外の目的で、Ｇ８関係の活動（取材、講演会を含む）のために訪れる外国人は事情聴取が必要で、２４時間の拘束は珍しくないそうです。

昨晩（６月２７日）、市民メディアセンター（札幌）に登録済みの香港・市民ジャーナリスト３人が入管に拘束され、強制退去寸前という事態が発生しました。

今朝は、スーザン・ジョージさん（ATTAC France）が空港で足止めされているとのことです。７４歳のジョージさんを拘束するのは、人道上の配慮にも欠けていると思われます。

今後もこのような入管措置は続くと予想されます。

国土交通省から全国のホテル宛の指令：「サミットのテロ対策」として「外国人宿泊客の旅券確認強化」Ministries order all hotels nationwide to target all “foreign guest” passports

Posted on June 26, 2008June 27, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

サミットの間で、道警外事課は「日本人や外国人に関係なく、必要なときは声掛けしている」と主張するが、６月４日付、国土交通省から全国のホテルへの指令によると、「外国人客」のみは全国のホテルでは「サミットの間のテロ対策」は本人確認と旅券コピーとなる。外国人は標的にされていないと未だに主張できるのか。

Despite the Hokkaido Police only yesterday telling us bald-facedly that NJ were not being specially targeted for spot ID checks as potential terrorists, the ministries have sent out a directive to all hotels nationwide (not just near Summit areas) to check and photocopy passports of all “foreign guests” (not, as the law indicates, NJ without addresses in Japan) as a means to prevent Summit terrorism. Again, still want to make the argument that NJ aren’t being targeted?

Full report: Press conference goes well, but Hokkaido Police use every trick in the book to evade responsibility and press scrutiny.

Posted on June 25, 2008June 28, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Full report on how the meeting went with the Hokkaido Police (they did everything they could to evade responsibility) and the press conference (all the major print and TV media were there, went fine). Third best press conference I’ve ever done–mp3 recording of the event included without cuts. Article after article in English and Japanese appearing in the comments section.

千歳空港で警察の反テロ「外人狩り」職務質問（録音と脚本）

Posted on June 21, 2008June 21, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

さて、G8サミットが迫って、「反テロ措置」もいよいよ多く実施されるようになってきました。しかし、その結果、「テロリスト」は「白人・外人」の外見だけで標的にされております。

　道内では、色々な警察署が発行した「警戒警備にご協力下さい」というポスターやチラシが現れてきました。

５月から、札幌市内の地下鉄・JR駅や自動販売機の中で見られるポスターはここでご覧下さい。

http://www.debito.org/?p=1721

６月１３日（金）サミットから７００キロ以上離れている、単に外国人が多い六本木で麻生警察署に配布された「職務質問・検問の実施に、ご協力下さい」と載っているチラシはここでご覧下さい。

http://www.debito.org/?p=1749

　しかし公表に留まっておりません。道内空港（少なくとも新千歳と女満別）では、外国人みたいな人のみが、飛行機からおりて荷物を受け取って「セキュリティー・ゾーン」から出ても、私服警官に呼び止められ職務質問と身分証明が要求されています。到着する人を出迎える外国人みたいな住民もそうなっているようです（千歳空港６月２０日JAL3047、２０時２０分着）。

　私も、東京の帰り、６月１９日（木）の午後３：１２頃、新千歳空港で白人として、こういう目に遭いました。録音はこちらです。（およそ４分間）…

外国人政策研究所事務局坂中英徳　著：「日本型移民政策の提言」

Posted on June 14, 2008June 14, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Hi Blog. This is Japan Immigration Policy Institute’s Mr Sakanaka Hidenori’s proposal for a new immigration policy for Japan. Dated June 12, 2008, in Japanese:

日本型移民政策の提言
世界の若者が
移住したいと憧れる国の構築に向けて
＝中間とりまとめ＝
Ⅰ　政策の理念
１．移民立国で日本の活性化を図る
２．日本文明の底力を活かす

Ⅱ　日本型移民政策の骨格
１．日本人口の１０％を移民が占める「移民国家」へ
２．「育成型」移民政策を推進する
３．日本型移民政策の基盤整備
４．社会統合・多民族共生のための施策
５．人道的配慮を要する移民の受け入れ

Ⅲ　直ちに取り組むべき事項

２００８．６．１２

６月２０日（金）G8サミットと札幌の国際化について講演、かでる2.7ビルにて

Posted on June 11, 2008June 11, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

洞爺湖サミットが迫り、北海道と共に札幌にはどんな影響があるのか、をディスカッションするきっかけとなります。特に「反テロ警戒警備」のもと、在住外国人はどう感じるのか、どう待遇されるのか、は浮き彫りになると思います。

よって、来週金曜日（２０日）の夕方、私と友人ゲッツさんはこの件について講演します。日本語です。ご興味のある方はどうぞご出席下さい。案内ポスターはこのブログエントリーにあります。

毎日：強制退去訴訟：ジランちゃん一家に在留特別許可　法務省

Posted on April 25, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

毎日新聞：埼玉県川口市に住むトルコ国籍のクルド人タスクンさん（３２）とフィリピン国籍の妻ベルトランさん（４１）、長女ジランちゃん（７）の一家３人が、強制退去処分の取り消しを求めた訴訟を巡り、法務省は一家に在留特別許可を与える方針を決めた。鳩山邦夫法相が２５日、閣議後会見で明らかにした。同日中にも１年更新の定住資格を与える見通し。１審は一家の訴えを退けたが、控訴審で東京高裁の寺田逸郎裁判長が外国人の強制退去を巡る訴訟では異例の和解を打診し、法務省が処分見直しを含め対応を検討していた。

Filipina allegedly killed by J man, one let out of jail despite killing another Filipina in past

Posted on April 19, 2008June 6, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

We have (insufficient) news reports about a case earlier this month of a Filipina suspected of being killed by a Japanese man, and having her body parts stowed in a locker in Hamamatsu Station. Then it turns out this guy, Nozaki Hiroshi, had killed a Filipina some years before, and apparently tried to flush her body parts down a toilet. For that previous crime, Nozaki was convicted, but only sentenced to three years plus. It wasn’t even judged a murder. And he got out allegedly to kill again. Oddly enough, Nozaki’s jail sentence was only a bit more than Nigerian citizen Mr Idubor’s, and Idubor’s conviction was for alleged rape, not murder. Yet Nozaki was apparently caught red-handed, while there was no physical evidence and discrepant testimony in Idubor’s Case. Ironically, that means that under these judicial litmus tests, the women involved could have been killed and it would have made no difference in the sentencing. That is, if you’re a Japanese criminal victimizing a foreigner, it seems. It’s getting harder to argue that the J judiciary is color-blind towards judging criminals and victims.

イドゥボ氏の第2回公判４／２３(水）１４：３０陳述書記載

Posted on April 18, 2008June 6, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

イドゥボ氏の陳述書より：「控訴の趣意は弁護人から2008年2月25日に控訴趣意書を提出しました。私は次の事項を付け加えて述べたいと思います。警察官による供述調書は、署名すれば不起訴にするとの約束で、署名させられたものです。また、警察官は重要な証拠を隠したり、なくしたりしました。例えば、私の携帯電話のアドレス帳から告訴人の友人の電話番号が消され、彼女から私へ送られてきた脅迫メールの記録も消されていました。また、私の店の監視カメラの記録を調べなかったために、新しい内容が自動的に上書きされ、当日の記録は消されました。また、警察官は彼女たちの意図が分かるような告訴人とその友人の詳細な関係を調書に書きませんでした。」

在日韓国・朝鮮人高齢者の年金訴訟を支える会: 4月25日判決傍聴と呼びかけ

Posted on April 18, 2008June 6, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

在日韓国・朝鮮人高齢者の年金訴訟を支える会より判決傍聴と呼びかけご協力のお願い:４月２５日（金）１５時３０分〜大阪高等裁判所２０２号法廷で、終了後、１６時〜大阪弁護士会館で報告集会を行います。明細はこちら. Court decision due April 25 on elderly Korean Zainichis being denied their Japanese nenkin pension contributions due to being foreign.

中日新聞：千曲市で外国人差別など講演」ハンドブックツアー中で有道出人スピーチ報道 Chuunichi Shinbun article on speech during HANDBOOK Tour

Posted on April 4, 2008June 6, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

中日新聞：千曲市で外国人差別など講演」ハンドブックツアー中で有道出人スピーチ報道。当日使ったパワーポイントをここでダウンロードできます。Chuunichi Shinbun article on speech during HANDBOOK Tour.

出版発表：「ニューカマー定住ハンドブック」新発売

Posted on March 8, 2008June 6, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

「ニューカマー定住ハンドブック　日本で働き、暮らし、根付くために」（明石書店（株））は０８年３月１５日に発売です。明細（まえがき、書評、ブック・ツアー日程、目次）はこのブログで発表します。

Next Valentine Lawsuit Hearing Feb 12, 2008 1:30PM

Posted on February 9, 2008April 23, 2008 by Dr. Debito Arudou

Mr. Valentine, a Nigerian national, is defending himself against the Tokyo Metropolitan Government after a police beating incident which took place in Shinjuku almost 4 years ago. This is an appeal, as the District Court not only exonerated the NPA for refusing him medical treatment for his broken leg for the duration of his interrogation (which resulted him in becoming crippled for life), but also did so on such spurious grounds as ignoring expert medical testimony of the degree of injury, and dismissed testimony because it came from a black person. Come see his High Court appeal Tues Feb 12, 2008, 1:30PM.