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Court Recognizes Japanese Citizenship of Second-Generation Japanese-Filipinos [2007/11/14]

The two plaintiffs express their happiness at being recognized as Japanese citizens


For the first time in history, the Tokyo Family Court has recognized the Japanese citizenship of two second generation Japanese-Filipinos born to Japanese fathers who disappeared in the Second World War. Following the decision, the two received official recognition as Japanese Citizens on October 9 in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward.

While in February of last year, two other second generation Japanese Filipino siblings had been recognized as Japanese citizens, they were a pair whose father’s identity and last whereabouts were had been known. The recent ruling was the first time that Japanese citizenship was granted in a case where census registers could not be confirmed, and it is expected to open the doors to employment in Japan for third and fourth generation Japanese-Filipinos. (Photo: A lot of news media at the press conference)

The two plaintiffs were Ms. Juanita Sakamoto (80), from the town of Baliuag in the Philippine province of Bulacan, and Ms. Meleshia Yoshikawa (89), who lives in Sagada in the Mountain Province. Ms. Sakamoto is the second daughter of Mr. Takeichi Sakamoto, originally from Hiroshima Prefecture, and Ms. Yoshikawa is the eldest daughter of Mr. Masutaro Yoshikawa, originally from Nagasaki Prefecture. Each originally applied for citizenship in October 2005.

Both of the women’s parents registered their marriages in the Philippines. In addition to, in Ms. Sakamoto’s case her father’s name and photograph were discovered in prisoner-of-war records found in the United States’ National Archives and Records Administration. The baptismal name and certificate of Ms. Yoshikawa’s father were found in a church. Taking these pieces of evidence into consideration, the court concluded that the two plaintiffs had acquired Japanese citizenship upon birth. (Photo: The two plaintiffs with Takeju Ogata, President of the Nippon Foundation)

The women were informed of the October 8 ruling by the Tokyo-based Philippine Nikkei-jin Legal Support Center, which helped to locate the evidence above with support from the Nippon Foundation. Following this, the women held a press conference at a Manila hotel. Expressing her joy, Ms. Sakamoto said, “I am happy to have my own roots made clear; I would like to live the rest of my life with pride as a Japanese citizen.” Ms. Yoshikawa noted, “Now that I’ve been recognized as a Japanese citizen, I think back on my father, who worked to help the Philippines. I’m looking forward to going to Japan.”
Posted by TNF at 10:24 | Basic Human Needs | URL