ID :
62162
Sun, 05/24/2009 - 22:01
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/62162
The shortlink copeid
Foreign residents rally against bills to revise immigration law+
TOKYO, May 24 Kyodo -
About 250 foreign residents in Japan and their supporters marched through
downtown Tokyo on Sunday to protest against bills to revise the immigration
law, claiming the revision is intended to tighten controls on them.
The demonstrators shouted ''no'' to the immigration law reform, which is
currently being deliberated in the Diet, as they took to the streets following
a rally in the Shimbashi district. They accused lawmakers of not hearing their
opinions and aired concerns that the revision could increase their burdens and
violate their privacy.
The immigration law revision, which has been discussed by the Judicial Affairs
Committee of the House of Representatives since April 24, would abolish the
alien registration card that local municipalities currently issue, and instead
require the central government to issue a new residency card to foreigners who
stay in Japan longer than three months.
The move is aimed at unifying administrative work concerning foreigners into a
single task undertaken by the central government, and stepping up measures
against foreigners who stay in Japan illegally.
At the rally, participants called for withdrawal of the proposed law revision
in a joint statement, saying the amendment would enable authorities to impose
criminal penalties or cancel visa status for foreigners who fail to provide
notification of any change in their addresses or institutions to which they
belong, such as companies and schools.
They also oppose the law revision since personal information related to foreign
residents -- such as job status, Japanese language skills and tax payment
records -- will be gathered by the Justice Ministry in a centralized system.
''Such a system of strict control ignores the reality of foreigners' life and
residence, and allows for arbitrary annulment or non-renewal of visas by the
Ministry of Justice,'' the rally participants said in the statement.
Xu Cuizhen, a Chinese resident in Osaka, told the gathering, ''I'm infuriated.
The Japanese government will never stop regarding us as targets to ostracize,''
adding that she wanted the bills to be scrapped.
Monica Nakahodo, 46, a third-generation Japanese Peruvian from Yokohama who has
been working at an auto parts maker for 20 years, asked, ''Don't you think it's
unreasonable for the Japanese government to bolster immigration control without
hearing opinions of foreign residents and even letting them know about the law
revision?''
''We must fight to change this discriminatory arrangement,'' she said.
The bills could be passed by the lower house later this week and be enacted
into law during the current Diet session, political sources said.
==Kyodo
2009-05-24 22:03:03
About 250 foreign residents in Japan and their supporters marched through
downtown Tokyo on Sunday to protest against bills to revise the immigration
law, claiming the revision is intended to tighten controls on them.
The demonstrators shouted ''no'' to the immigration law reform, which is
currently being deliberated in the Diet, as they took to the streets following
a rally in the Shimbashi district. They accused lawmakers of not hearing their
opinions and aired concerns that the revision could increase their burdens and
violate their privacy.
The immigration law revision, which has been discussed by the Judicial Affairs
Committee of the House of Representatives since April 24, would abolish the
alien registration card that local municipalities currently issue, and instead
require the central government to issue a new residency card to foreigners who
stay in Japan longer than three months.
The move is aimed at unifying administrative work concerning foreigners into a
single task undertaken by the central government, and stepping up measures
against foreigners who stay in Japan illegally.
At the rally, participants called for withdrawal of the proposed law revision
in a joint statement, saying the amendment would enable authorities to impose
criminal penalties or cancel visa status for foreigners who fail to provide
notification of any change in their addresses or institutions to which they
belong, such as companies and schools.
They also oppose the law revision since personal information related to foreign
residents -- such as job status, Japanese language skills and tax payment
records -- will be gathered by the Justice Ministry in a centralized system.
''Such a system of strict control ignores the reality of foreigners' life and
residence, and allows for arbitrary annulment or non-renewal of visas by the
Ministry of Justice,'' the rally participants said in the statement.
Xu Cuizhen, a Chinese resident in Osaka, told the gathering, ''I'm infuriated.
The Japanese government will never stop regarding us as targets to ostracize,''
adding that she wanted the bills to be scrapped.
Monica Nakahodo, 46, a third-generation Japanese Peruvian from Yokohama who has
been working at an auto parts maker for 20 years, asked, ''Don't you think it's
unreasonable for the Japanese government to bolster immigration control without
hearing opinions of foreign residents and even letting them know about the law
revision?''
''We must fight to change this discriminatory arrangement,'' she said.
The bills could be passed by the lower house later this week and be enacted
into law during the current Diet session, political sources said.
==Kyodo
2009-05-24 22:03:03
