Noriko Calderon Japanese Immigration

Noriko Calderon is a 13 year old girl born and raised in Japan. She is fluent in the Japanese language. She knows no other language. Her parents immigrated to Japan in the 1990s illegally. Two years ago, the Japanese government found out about her parent's fraudulent entry into the country. Japanese immigration began the process of deportation. In the last two years, their family life was beset with court cases on how they can legalize their stay in Japan.

BBC news reported in an article "Japanese Ruling may Split Family " that Justice Minister Eisuke Mori decided not to grant residency to her parents. This means that within two weeks, the parents of Noriko must leave Japan. Further appeals are expected to be made. Human rights advocates will play a major role in this case. The immigration laws of Japan also indicate that if deported, Noriko's parents cannot return to Japan to see their daughter in the next five years.

Noriko Calderon had publicly declared that she prefers to stay in Japan. Since she is a minor and incapable of supporting herself, BBC news pointed out that she will live with her Aunt. Many human rights activists have pleaded the Japanese immigration officials to grant pardon to the Calderon family. However, a move toward that direction will make vulnerable the Japanese immigration stance on 500 similar cases awaiting resolution.

In developing countries, economic recessions have been looming for more than ten years. In other words, poverty is increasing to unimaginable levels. Since their countries have no financial resources to fund social service agencies to help them handle poverty, parents are unable to support their children. These parents are not illiterate. Some of them have high school and college educations. Many of them are very skilled and talented. However, there are no jobs for them in their country. Thus, they crave for job opportunities abroad to support their families. They do not care if it is a menial job. It is a job that will provide the needed money to help their children survive.

With the little financial resources they can muster, they borrow money from friends, families, and loan sharks. They sell all their valuables. They seek for labor recruiters who can promise them jobs abroad. The labor recruiters find this a lucrative business. Labor recruiters engage in the business of bringing job seekers to foreign countries. Some of them fake passports for a fee. "Fake passports" business is a thriving black market activity in third world countries. With these fake passports, job seekers apply to foreign countries. Japan has been a haven for job seekers in the entertainment field. In the last 2 decades, Japan gave these types of visas to professional singers, bands and entertainers.

Once they reach Japan, job seekers find themselves with no guaranteed job. With limited choices, the job seeker accepts any menial job available until they find a better job. Fellow countrymen will try to help them connect with their own employers. They work hard and send their money back home to their families in their respective countries. Since they have illegal passports and thus, illegal entry to Japan, they cannot leave the country. There will always be a risk of being caught by immigration officials in the process. Thus, these workers stay indefinitely in Japan. They get immersed in the lives of the Japanese people and culture. They fall in love, probably with another person with the same plight. They start a family in the Japanese society.

The arising question will be if the immigration laws of Japan will have some clemency to Calderon's family. Noriko is a Japanese citizen. The Japanese government must defend the rights of its citizens, especially a minor. The issue becomes a huge dilemma for the Japanese government.

It was not Noriko's fault that her parents gave birth to her in Japan. It was not her fault that she is in a middle of a human rights issue and the immigration law of Japan. Noriko is courageous enough to talk to the Japanese media that her decision is to stay in Japan and live with her Aunt. But, is that her decision?

It is a decision for her best interest. Noriko's parents are thinking of only one thing: They cannot provide for Noriko in their home country. Noriko will be better off in a country like Japan, where her opportunities to financial success will be far better than what awaits her in their home country.

Arlan Cruz Calderon, father of Noriko, knew the risks of staying in Japan illegally. But, most father will sacrifice his future and take risks if this will mean a brighter future for his child. Noriko is convinced of this too at her young age. She loves her parents. If she has a choice, she wants her peaceful life back. She does not want to be separated from her parents. She announced her desire to stay if the decision of the Japanese immigration is to deport her parents. She is willing to suffer without any parents by her side, not because she is deeply rooted in Japan. Nor is it because she is showing some patriotic and loyal qualities. She is staying because she understands what her parents have to go through to provide her this opportunity. As Americans, we cannot judge if this is the best choice for her. We have not suffered numerous years of economic recession to know what poverty is all about.

Source:
"Japanese Ruling May Split Family", BBC News