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UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito
Hi Blog. I had a conversation with Upper House Dietmember Aihara Kumiko (62, from Hokkaido, elected 2007 on Proportional Representation) yesterday. With a labor union background, she has an eye on a number of human rights issues, including the Nikkei Visa and NJ “Trainee” Programs.
I took the opportunity to ask about a few things that are overdue for NJ resident rights in Japan (which the recent polls on Debito.org cover), namely:
- Japan signing the Hague Convention on Child Abductions
- Japan passing the long-proposed general law protecting human rights (jinken yougo houan)
- Japan passing a law against racial discrimination
- Japan approving local suffrage for NJ residents with Permanent Residency
She answered that the DPJ ruling coalition would be submitting the bill for local suffrage in next year’s Diet session.
The other three were currently not being considered in any committee or study group at this time. I asked when they might be, and she didn’t know.
Just letting readers of Debito.org know. Comments douzo. Arudou Debito in Sapporo
8 comments on “Ruling coalition currently not considering NJ human rights laws beyond PR suffrage: Dietmember Aihara”
what about dual citizenship??
I am most concerned with human rights
and non-discrimination in the workplace.
I am aiming at getting a permanent residence
visa in the near future.
Maybe if we can have a voice in some local elections we can somehow get these other rights listed above,and maybe,just maybe someone will listen,and they can influence the diet/politician on our behalf.
This is unsurprising… It seems perhaps a potential sponsor is at hand, however no legislative path has yet been proposed. Once some provisions have been drafted, acquiring the necessary support for them would be the real test of the DJP’s willingness to venture into this area.
Yes, all of these issues are important, and I am glad you were able to speak to a dietmember. 2 and 3 are my top picks on that list. I’m glad that there are people out there like you, debito.
Those issues are all important… but is it just me or is local suffrage for PR holders the LEAST important of the three? Laws against racial discrimination, protecting workers rights etc are standard in most other developed countries… local suffrage for PR would be nice but doesn’t seem to me to be a BARE necessity as the others are. Seems a little strange that they’ve ordered their priorities that way.
Yeah, what about dual citizenship? It appears to be the winning issue in your informal poll at right. And, it subsumes other NJ issues such as the vote and racial discrim.
In any event, thank you for using your access to diet members for the benefit of J society for NJ and J alike!
In fact I think that the dual citizenship “could” be the best “first” step
to be taken.
This for the reason that the Japanese Government, the police, the media and
the people would find themselves to deal with a completely “new” dimension
and maybe open their eyes.
Imagine, thousands of people like Debito out there, proud to say: “I’m Japanese”.
It would start a new era and it would make people finally begin “thinking” !!
I’m also sure it would cause problems too, at least at the beginning…
Dual citizenship holders would face the same problems they face now but at least
they would hold the chance to say “Hey I’AM Japanese too”….