Remaining Nikkei-jins need '' mass recognition'' urgently, federation head says
｜英字
By Robina Asido
The remaining Japanese descendants in the Philippines or Nikkei-jins need "mass recognition" as many of them are dying every month, Ines Yamanouchi Mallari, the President of Federation of Nikkei-Jin Kai Philippines said Friday.
In a multi-stakeholder symposium in Quezon City, Mallari recognized the assistance extended to the Nikkei-jins by different government agencies including the Department of Justice, Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Statistics Authority, however she emphasized the need for a mass recognition for Nikkei-jins who remain stateless despite reaching the "twilight of their existence."
"Time is of the essence right now. I think there is really a need for mass recognition and that mass recognition can only be made if there is this agreement between the two governments (Philippine and Japan) and that is what we are fighting for," she said.
"This time the application for citizenship is individual and if we place that to the family court's in Japan it will take time and time is running out actually so if there is mass recognition that the government will give us, we will be happy about that," she added.
Mallari noted that "many of the children of the Japanese (Nikkei-jins) are more than 80 years old and sad to say many of them would die every month."
"The number has already dwindled, if we say like around 50 at the start of this year there will be around 40 now," she said.
Mallari explained that once Nikkei-jin die, their family will never be recognized.
"Although there are already many who are recognized and because of that recognition the descendants are able to go to Japan, stay there, work or study there," she said.
"But we still remember those who could not obtain their nationality and because of that it will also impact the lives of their descendants, because if the children of the Japanese are not alive the family will never be given recognition," she added.
Mallari said the majority or around 80 percent of the surviving Nikkei-jins in the country are currently situated in Davao. PHS
