Jobless Brazilians seek legal experts' advice in Hamamatsu+

SHIZUOKA, Japan, March 29 Kyodo -
Over 100 people, many of them Brazilians who have lost their jobs or
residences, on Sunday attended a gathering organized by a support group for
advice from legal experts on their livelihoods in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
Prefecture, which has the largest Brazilian population in Japan.

In the two-day event through Monday dubbed ''Todo Mundo (meaning everyone in
Portuguese) Hamamatsu village for temporary workers,'' the heads of 108
struggling households received advice from lawyers and paralegals about their
problems.
Maranhao Alves, 39, told the support group, ''I was fired by an auto factory
last fall. If I can't find a job, my family will have to go home.''
A 52-year-old Japanese temp staff worker said he is being forced to leave his
dormitory as he will be dismissed next Tuesday. ''Since it happened to be my
birthday today, I hope I can find a clue about my future,'' he added.
About 19,000 Brazilians, many of them working as factory workers, live in the
city of Hamamatsu. Takao Shimba, the ''mayor'' of the temp staff support
village and a judicial scrivener, said, ''A number of foreigners lost jobs or
homes in Hamamatsu where manufacturing is a key industry. We hope we can offer
help regardless of nationality.''
==Kyodo