Updates about our migrants in Japan Part 2

Thousands of Brazilian and Peruvian migrant workers have been offered cash money to return to their home countries, provided they sign a certification that they and their family members will never return to Japan. For every employed household head, US$3,000 will be paid while each dependent family member will be paid US$2,000. The money will be given only once at the price of the contract not to return to Japan at all, unless they return perhaps as professionals.

While the money incentive may appear attractive now especially to those experiencing unemployment, homelessness, and hunger, those who have worked in Japan know that if jobs were available, one could easily earn US$3,000 within a month or two. Not only that the cash is not commensurate with the salaries that they have been getting for their previous jobs in Japan, there are those who are rejecting the offer mostly because the price for the cash is too costly not only for the present but future generations of those with Japanese descent among the Brazilians and the Peruvians.

Some of these migrants, who are descendants of poor Japanese who migrated to Brazil and Peru in the not so distant past, are angry that the Japanese Government, that warmly welcomed them when their work was crucially needed by Japanese industry, is the same government that wants to send them home now that Japan is in crisis. They feel used, neglected, abandoned especially with this new policy that is offering them cash in exchange for not returning at all ever to the land of their descendants.

The policy has not yet been extended to our Filipino Nikkeijins, those with Japanese descent. But we have met a number who decided to return first to the Philippines as they have lost their jobs here in Japan. Some have agreed to stay on and work, for lower salaries. Some, however, preferred to be unemployed, waiting and hoping that better job and salary offers will come soon. A number of them even gave up their previous jobs because of lowered salaries. “They will realize soon enough that times have changed and Japan is in a crisis when they will find themselves jobless for a long time.”

In the meantime, the queue of jobless, hunger migrants are increasing. So are the number of jobless and even hungry Japanese. This is not the Japan that many have known as the Land of the Rising Yen. While the yen remains high in the market and the sun remains shining, many in Japan are feeling the effects of a global economic system in crisis.

The NGOs and Church groups that have been servicing the migrants in Japan noticed one conspicuous difference between Filipino migrants and the non-Filipino migrants. They still have to encounter Filipinos who have been left homeless and hungry. For sure, there are Filipino migrants who have been severely affected by the crisis in Japan. Fortunately, our Filipino migrants are not yet among those lining up for these food rations. The good news is these Filipino migrants who are in crisis are not left on their own by their kababayans. The Filipinos are helping each other here in Japan, reported our church-based partners.

And so, it may be some time, if at all, that the present jobless Filipinos in Japan will consider going back to the Philippines. They will rather gamble staying here a while longer where social capital is rich, where Filipinos are truly demonstrating what being Filipinos and what God-loving people are.

Not all Filipino migrants in Japan are here just for work or pay. Without most of them realizing what they are doing, they are, unconsciously spreading and demonstrating the true meaning of community, of love, of service , as true missionaries for the Lord.

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