The June 4 decision of the Japan Supreme Court will reverse the old law which only grants nationality to Japanese-Filipino children whose parents were married legally. The new law will include children whose parents are not legally married.
BY GERMELINA A. LACORTE
Davao Today
Posted by Bulatlat.com
Vol. VIII, No. 30, August 31-September 6, 2008
DAVAO CITY— James Akiyama, 20, has regularly been receiving support money from his Japanese father since he was born.
But under the old law of Japan, Japanese Filipino children like him could never become full-fledged Japanese citizens because their parents never married.
“The June 4 ruling of the Japanese Supreme Court will change this,” said Japanese Lawyer Hironori Kondoh of the Tokyo-based Japanese-Filipino Children Lawyers Association during his visit to Davao early this month.
“The Japanese Supreme Court has pronounced the old ruling as “unconstitutional,” Kondoh told a jampacked room of affected Japanese Filipino children and their mothers. “It’s not the fault of the children that their parents were unmarried.”
Kondoh said that the June 4 decision of the Japan Supreme Court will reverse the old law which only grants nationality to Japanese-Filipino children whose parents were married legally. He said that the new law will include children whose parents are not legally married.
Japanese media expect the Diet (Japanese Parliament) to start session towards the end of August. Although there is some opposition to the law, there is a big chance that it will be passed, according to Kondoh, one of the 60 lawyers helping the Japanese Filipino children in Japan.
Kondoh urged Japanese Filipino children in a forum to take advantage of the new law.
He said children and mothers living in Davao can apply before the Japanese embassy once the law takes effect. He also said the application must be done before the child reaches 20 years old. “Japanese-Filipino children from 16 to 19 years old should prepare their documents as soon as possible,” he said.
Akiyama welcomes the new ruling of the Japanese Supreme Court (SC), saying it will give him a chance to see his father, whom he has never met since he was three years old.
The new ruling is expected to open applications for Japanese citizenship among tens of thousands of Japanese Filipino children abandoned by their fathers.
“All they want is recognition more than anything else,” said Sr. Celine Cajanding, executive director of the Center for Overseas Workers Development Inc. (Cowdi), which has been assisting women with Japanese Filipino children in Davao. “They’re saying that if they can’t go there themselves, at least, their children can.”
Jean Bingcoy, president of the Samahan ng Kababaihan para sa Karapatan ng mga Japanese Filipino Children (Women’s Association for the Rights of Japanese-Filipino Children), said her 11-year-old son has not been recognized under the law, although his father has been sending financial support once in a while.
“The new law will help a lot,” she said, “Parents do not need to get married to have their children recognized.”
She said that if the new law will push through, many children abandoned by their Japanese fathers will be looking for a chance to go to Japan. “Life is better in Japan compared to here,” said Bingcoy.
“Some women are also hoping that through their children, they can get residency and a passport,” said Cajanding. “They are the ones who would take care of the children, so, they’ll be allowed to go there.”
At least 40 members of the SKKJ are living in Davao with their Japanese Filipino children, whose fathers are in Japan. Some of these Japanese fathers are sending them financial support while others are not, Cajanding said.
“We expect the Diet (Parliament) to revise the nationality law in August,” said Kondoh. “But even before the law is revised, the government will start accepting application for nationality before September.”
Naoko Kono, executive director of the Maligaya House, a Manila-based NGOs assisting Japanese-Filipino children and their mothers, said their Manila office has handled 840 cases of Japanese Filipino children in Manila since 1994. The cases included those children abandoned by their Japanese fathers.
“Most of these children have no official legal recognition and have not been supported financially,” said Kono. “They need food and money.”
Most of mothers are already married, she said. “But in other cases their Japanese husbands divorced them without their consent,” she said of the Filipina wives. “Sometimes, the husbands falsify their wife’s signatures; in which case, we help the woman file a criminal case against the husband and require the husband to give financial support.”
She said that their Tokyo office handle 500 cases since they opened about 10 years ago. Most of these cases were endorsed by Maligaya House.
The disparity of the living conditions between Japan and the Philippines pushes more Filipinas to find work in Japan, where they mostly land as entertainers.
Kono said that they’re currently handling 20 to 30 ongoing paternity cases. Of the 843 cases they handled in 10 years, only 20 or 30 per cent were successful.
“Oftentimes, the mother drops the case because she doesn’t want to prolong her agonies. She wants to move on with her life and marry someone else,” Kono said. Davao Today / Posted by (Bulatlat.com)
Pls contack me to this numbr:+6391997498399
And the name of the father of this baby.joe tanaka
Hi,
I write because of my friend.she is pregnant of 8 month ti the japanes baby, and we ultrasound and he having baby boy.. I write hete because of the japenes guy. He dont suport to the baby. And he know my friend is only foor women doesnot know everything. My friend she try to ask the help for only the baby until she labor.but the japenes man answrt it he dont want baby and he want to soport the baby .and doesnt not contack to my friens for 8 months now. They ste not marriege because girlgriend of japenes man.plsss help me this ptoblem how to get suport from the dady of this baby.iwas pitty to my friend now.she not work also that why she need financial duport from to her boyfriend.
Plsds neef afvice and help for them.
hi there,
i have a 3 years old son and his father is a japanese.
my son was recognize by his father.but his father is still married
to a japanese woman.and until now my son does not registered
in japan side.and i think his father dont want my son to be rigesterd
in japan..what should i do?im scared for my sons future..please help me
Hi I’m Juri Mizunuma, i was born on June 28,2001 and now I’m 11 years old turnin to 12. my father is Junichi Mizunuma their legally married of my mother. ever since when i was born my father was diappear, he never send a financial suffort until now. so my mother was sacrifice everything our daily needs and also to suffort my studies. this comimg june i’m graduated at elementary. so i hope you can help me because i want to continue my studies up to collage or else if Gods will i want to go also in japan to live there with my mother.
I have a daughter 21 yrs 4th year collage, She will be graduated this coming April at University of the Philippines Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences. She wants to continue her study in Japan, she want to study Japan History. she is half Japanese. her father is Japanese we are not legally married. her father sign in her birth certificate.hope you can hep us. or give us some advice. thank you very much… God bless you all…
Hi!
I have a daughter 2 months old now a child of a Japanese national. We are not married and her father abandoned us,How can my baby claim her Japanese Citizenship? Please help me.
Hi!
I have a daughter 2 months old now a child of a Japanese national. We are not married and her father abandoned us,how can my baby claim her Japanese Citizenship???? Please help me.
hello mam,ako po si janet t.kamada kasal po ako sa hapon may dalawang anak,dinivorse po ako ng asawa ko kahit wala ang pirma ko.sana matulungan nyo ako?…14yrs.na po walang communication at hanggang ngayun ay hindi siya sumusuporta sa amin?…sana po matulungan nyo kami ng anak ko?…
helpful articles
i never met my father since birth and he never support me financially.can you help me ? thank you.
this is my contact number 09303152889
.Hi! Can you help me to look for my father ? his name is tokuji nozaki,im a half blood japanese.please help me.thank you.
hello good day to all i have a 5 months old son his father is japanese and he also recognized by his father but were not legally married,but suddenly his father stop sending support us,please help me,us of now i don’t have any job b-coz my son is too much young,can you help me?and is there possibility to have a financial support? plz.reply for any feedback in this matter thank you.this is my phone num.09434893027
i have a 6 years old daughter from a japanese national we are not married she was aknowledge by her father and put her in his koseki or family register,so can my daughter apply for japanese citizen or can she be granted of japanese citezen eventhough her father and i are not married…thanks and hoping for your reply….
this is my contact # 0917-9070-691
Hi!
Im half japanese. My mother is filipino and father is japanese but as per my mom my father was already dead when I was 3 years old. They were not married.
I would like to ask for help to have a japanese visa
and is there a possibility to have a financial support
even my father was already deceased? thanks
This is my contact # 09186449349
hi!i have a daughter she is now 9 yrs.old. Please help me because his father dont give any support and no contacts at all.This is my contact number 09083052185.Please guide us how.Thank You so much!I hope u will help my daughter….
hi im half Japanese , half Filipino.. my mom is Filipino and my dad is Japanese. my parents are legally married but they divorced when i was in grade 4. my Filipino mom has new Japanese husband. I care for my Dad he’s alone there in Japan, i wanted to go but im not Japanese Citizen. Im 22 years old turning 23 this November. Iam Graduate as a Nurse here in Philippines now that Im done studying I really wanted to go in Japan & see my Dad esp. now he’s getting old (66 years old). please help me to know what requirements should i prepare bec. my Dad also want me to go there but we dont know how to start. Please Guide us How.. Thank You so much! hope u help me..
Love and peace be with us all! My husband is a Japanese,we’re married for 10 yrs and not living together for 10 yrs.We have 2 kids holding Japanese passport and Philippine passport.Their father visited us here in the Philippines once a year longer for 15 days stay and 3 days is the shortest stay.He cheated me many times and hurt me once physically.He sent us his monthly obligation but not enough for my kids needs. Ai is now in grade 4,already 9yrs old and Hiro in grade 2,he’s 7 yrs old. when they are growing everyday,I always think of their future on how we can survive with my little store sorce of my daily income.I struggle hard for there daily needs coz it always happen he forgot his obligation to his children.I do not know what to do. if u can give me some advice pls do help me…Thank you.
I have a 4yo daughter to a japanese guy…she was born here in the phil…and was acknowledge and sign by his father on her birth certificate…..he was supporting her daughter til this present time….but our communication stop since 2009…i just want to know how can i apply for my daughter citizenship in japan and what are the documents required??……hope to hear from u….tnx a lot…
gusto ko lang po malaman kung saan at anong organization ang dapat ko lapitan para sa bata ang ama ay hapon at pilipina naman ang ina (hindi kasal) . Pero pinanganak yung bata sa Japan,Pero dito na nakatira sa Davao. bale 4 year old na yung bata ..may pag-asa pa kaya makabalik sa Japan yung mag-ina.please help me…maraming salamat..
hi i’m maricar tubeo for real maricar takahashi ..
i want to find my japanese father
i’m 16 years old please contact me @ 09351579530
thank you
hi im 5 yrs old,living in nueva ecija,my father is japanese,he recognized me,sometimes he send me allowances and most of the times he did not.how i can get paternal recognition from him?regular financial support and citizenship?thank you so much. here is my number 09179353370 and 09266166275
hi i’m a half japanese i am 8 years old pls. help me to find my japanese father to sopport me pls. help me thank you so much…
hi good day i have 8yrs old child girl born in the philippines her father is japanese i work before in japan as a entertainer i met the man at work because he is my boss i got pregnant and give birth at the philippines at first the father of my baby gave me a support after 3yrs old of my baby he didnt contact me anymore can you help me to find the japanese man the father of my child and ask him to support my child her studies until she graduate.kindly look for this..thank you
Good day!! I worked in Japan before 7 years ago.I met this man named Hisashi Sugo.He supported me and sometimes he visited me here in Philippines.I got pregnant with Him and gave birth to a boy named Charles Gregory.My son was 2 years old that time when he stops calling me.Since then,I haven’t heard any news about Him.Hope i could ask help here.Thank you.
I have a Japanese boyfriend before, I met Him in Japan where i used to worked there.He used to visit me here in Philippines.He supported me.We had a son.It’s almost 5 years since we haven’t had any communication.I would like to ask help here for the sake of my son..Hope you could help us…
hello i have a 13 years old daughter his father is japanese who lived in tokyo.but we are not legally married.can you help my daughter what are the requirements.we dnt have any document but we have old picture together with her father when he visited her in the philippines.can u help us pls
Hi! I have a daughter 4 months old now a child of a Japanese national. We are not married how can my baby claim her Japanese Citizenship???? Please help me.
Hi. Is there a specific organization that can assist half japaneses half filipina who were abandoned by their parents? Can you let us know their office address and contacts so that we can go through to seek advice? My wife is a doctor. Thank you and we will be glad to hear any response from you.
hi ..im also a half japanese !!i want to see my dad ..my mom said that hes only in the philippines …and legally married to a filipina ..can you help me?im 16 yr ld girl
hi ..im also a half japanese !!i want to see my dad ..my mom said that hes only in the philippines …and legally married to a filipina ..can you help me?im 16 yr ld girl
I have a 15year old son, his father is japanese and legally married here in Phils. We are abandoned for 15years. How can i seek assistance for his education? Please can you help us what we will do… Please
I have 3years old daughter (Hikaru shimahara) and 2 years old son (hiromichi shimahara) they have same Japanese father, their father supporting my kids but not enough, because their father is married to Japanese wife. But they know about my kids already, I only want to make sure my kids future . To finish their study and they can have good work in the future .
im kinichiro haruyama 22 years old im a abandon kid born in phil davao city… help me please..
hello i’m also half japanese and born here in philippines… my sister is now in japan.. because her name is in kosekitohon…. even though my father abandoned us… if your son/daughter or your name is in tha kosekitohon its easy to go there i think??
my brother and I are also half Japanese and half Filipino..my mother was not legally married to my father who was a Japanese..he send money but not enough to pay for my brothers tuition fee in college..and we learned that father told my mother if ill finished in highschool he will stop sending money.my father don’t want us to go to college .now im about to finished in 3rd year .now he stop sending .my mom tried to contact him but his always not in the office.. were all worried of what might happen to him.we don’t have any phone numbers except his office number only. I really want to go to school and finished college with my brother to have a good job, because our mother don`t have a job.Please help us about our problem, i`ll be waiting for your response . thanks and god bless you more power to you!
Hi! I am also a half japanese, my parents are legally married. I am turning 18 years old soon and I really want to be part of this. What are the requirements or what do we have to do in order to avail this citizenship?
I am a japanese citizen i was born in japan on july 16 at yokohama japan but my mother and father are same filipino can i recieve a support from the japanese citizen
I am Kenji yoshhida 15 yrs old and i have younger sister Ai Yoshida we have same father he didn’t support us for almost 10 yrs how can i join this group? Im hoping that you can help me and my younger sister..we can’t continue our schooling because we have remaining bal.to our old school..we really want to settle that to continue our schooling..hope you can help us..God bless and more power!!Thanks
how can i join this group
my brother and I are also half Japanese and half Filipino..my mother was not legally married to my father who was a Japanese..he send money but not enough to pay for my brothers tuition fee in college..and we learned that father told my mother if ill finished in highschool he will stop sending money.my father don’t want us to go to college .now im about to finished in 3rd year .now he stop sending .my mom tried to contact him but his always not in the office.. were all worried of what might happen to him.we don’t have any phone numbers except his office number only. I really want to go to school and finished college with my brother to have a good job, because our mother don`t have a job.Please help us about our problem, i`ll be waiting for your response . thanks and god bless you more power to you!
..me and my brother also a half japanese half filipino im 15years old now and my brother is 19 years old.my mother not legally married to our father who is a japanese,but we are recognized by our father.he supported us but not enough to support my brother in his tuition fee in college..he stop goin to school..my father dont want us to go to college..he told my mother when i finished highschool he will stop sending..now im finished 3rd year..suddenly he stop sending ..mother tried to contact my father but hard to locate. bcoz, my father gives his office number only..can we ask some advice from you..bcoz we really wanted to finished college and get some job bcoz my mother dont have a job..and lastly can we acquire a citizenship in japan?please..ill be waiting for your response thanks and more power….
i have a son, born in japan and with a japanese father.i was married before and because of a DV problem, i divorced my japanese husband. can you help me? Can my son get any support from the government? Me and my son are now living here in the Philippines.
I’m also a half Japanese. 19 years of age and is recognized by my Japanese father. However our real problem is that my father himself lacks financial stability and doesn’t have income tax return. Making it difficult for me to apply for japanese visa as well as japanese citizenship.
Please do help me even just for a legal advice would be fine or anything that you can offer…
I’m hoping for your positive response. Thank you & more power!
We are sorry we do not know any immigration lawyers. Thank you.
i have a 8 yr old son but i’m not married to his japanese father, since birth they haven’t seen each other but he gives a little financial support. can my son get his citizenship as a japanese? what are the papers required? his birth certificate was registered but not signed by the father. thank you. waiting for response
i was married to a japanese.we have a son that he abandoned when we got separated.if there is an organization that helps these children get their rights.i am so willing to cooperate
im the sister of nanette v hewe,she have a 8year old son abandoned since hes 2year old…my sister is dead last 2006…were hoping for a help…hes a half japanese..
my daughter is already 15 years old and her father is a japanese, we are hoping that somebody can help us about her support.we are looking further for your help and consideration. Thank you.
i am also a half Japanese how can i join this group? i just want to find my father.thank you!
i have 3 son.and the father is also japanese.but all of them born in philippines.can u give me ur contact no.?