Three new detainees in Japan

That was one sad and busy weekend. Various communications reached us that at least three of our Pinoy kababayans were arrested and detained in a jail and two centers in Japan.

Through Facebook, we were told that a friend had been apprehended and was and still remains in one Tokyo police station. It seems this friend was stopped by the police who noticed that he was using his cellphone while driving. When the police noticed that he was a foreigner, the police asked for his ACR (alien certificate of registration) – a must bring for all foreigners in Japan. He had none to show. He had been staying in Japan for years now as a non-documented resident.

This is not the first time that he had been arrested for being an undocumented foreigner in Japan. Decades back, he had also been deported to the Philippines. He managed, however, to return to Japan on a legal visa. Some years back, he came back to Japan with a legal visa but decided, once again, to overstay.

It may take more time for him to be deported because of his previous detention record. Also, he used various names on his passport so until all the official documents showing his real identity can be produced, he may have to stay for some more months in Japan before being deported, once more, back to the Philippines.

Aside from his detention, what is really saddening is learning that his family back home, his wife and children, have been struggling to survive for months since he had been without work in the economic crisis-hit Japan. Now that he is detained, his wife is on the verge of despair and hopelessness – not having anything to eat, to pay for the children’s schooling and more needs.

Their situation makes us reflect once more about migration and the value placed on migration by our people, our government included. Migration is never a guaranteed route to a family’s sustenance. How many migrant families have really continued to benefit from migration, on a sustainable basis? When will our government guarantee our people ample secured jobs with sufficient income enough for households to stay put in our country and to go through their lives without anxiety or need? Soonest, we pray.

Our other detained kababayan is also on the verge of hopelessness, we were told. His wife, who has a permanent visa in Japan because of her Japanese ancestry, refuses to sign papers for the visa extension of her husband, the father of their children. Assisted by a Filipino religious, this kababayan of ours has been visiting the Japanese Immigration office for consultation related to his visa situation. During his last visit, however, he was detained and is now in an immigration detention center in Shinagawa, awaiting help from a lawyer who can advise him about how he can apply for a visa, if this can be granted. He needs money to pay the lawyer, he needs prayers so he can keep strong, and prayers as well for his wife to grant him her signature for his visa extension, for the sake of their children. His case also raises the need to assess the impact of migration and its perils especially on the children and families of migrants. How many more migrant families have to suffer because their own country, their own government could not assist them back home?

Finally, a third kababayan was arrested and is now in Ushiku Detention Center awaiting the verdict about his being an undocumented worker in Japan. He has asked for a copy of an English bible with Japanese translation so he can spend the time with the Lord while in detention.

Let us continue to pray for so many of our migrants in Japan and elsewhere in the world and their families who are now experiencing more trials and challenges where they are. Let us also pray that our country, our government, our politicians finally render sincere public service and governance so that our people will no longer be forced to resort to migration and be spared all the pains and difficulties that accompany migration.

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