Filipino family granted temporary stay

SAITAMA, Japan, Jan. 14 Kyodo -
The Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau on Wednesday told the Filipino parents of
a 13-year-old girl that temporary permission for the family to stay in Japan
has been extended by a month to Feb. 13.
Arlan Calderon, 36, and Sarah, 38, turned up at the bureau asking authorities
to allow them and their daughter, Noriko, who was born and raised in Japan, to
continue living in the country.
The family is under a deportation order and the deadline for them to get
temporary permission to stay expires Wednesday.
They have been on provisional release status and the authorities decided to
extend their stay rather than issue them special permission for residence, as
they had requested, or take them into custody for forced deportation.
Sarah entered Japan in 1992 and Arlan in 1993 on different peoples' passports.
After Sarah was arrested for staying in the country illegally, the family
received a deportation order in November 2006.
They filed a lawsuit requesting that the order be rescinded but the Supreme
Court rejected the request in September.
The family submitted a petition in November to Justice Minister Eisuke Mori
seeking special permission for residence so Noriko can continue her studies in
Japan. The girl attends a junior high school run by the city of Warabi in
Saitama Prefecture.
They have collected more than 14,000 signatures in support of their cause.
==Kyodo