Surrogate baby born in India coming to Japan
In a good demonstration of why the Japanese government doesn’t like surrogate births, a baby conceived of a Japanese father’s sperm and an unidentified donor’s egg and who was born in India in July, has been given a temporary one year visa to enter Japan with the father’s family. The complication comes with the fact that the man and his wife divorced before the baby was born and India does not allow adoption by single parents. Nonetheless, the family’s pleas prevailed and it looks like the man’s mother will be tasked helping to raise the child. Apparently the baby was born in Anand town in Gujarat state, which is considered a major surrogate birthing center in India. Surrogate mothers are available at a cost of around Rs.100,000 (US$2,500).
(Source: TT commentary from afp.google.com, Oct 31, 2008)
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )J@pan Inc is Japan’s only publicly sold English-language business magazine. Authoritatively chronicling business trends in Japan, each beautifully designed full-color issue brings you in-depth analysis of business, people and technology in the world’s second largest economy. Don’t
miss another issue! JPY8,000 for 1 year (12 issues) JPY15,000 for 2 years (24 issues).
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Land of the Rising Half-breeds?!
I am pretty sure that those of mixed-heritage in Japan (sometimes referred to as half or double) will not take to being called a half-breed too kindly (they are not dogs or plants) but the article by J-cast below is none the less interesting. Here are some previous Black Tokyo reports that provide additional information.
A rapid increase in the number of women in their 20s and 30s choosing foreign husbands may turn Japan into a land of half-breeds, or so says vernacular web news site J-cast.
The site refers to Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare survey data that indicated that one baby out of every 30 is of mixed blood origin (konketsu no haafu). Moreover in the central wards of Tokyo, as well as in both Osaka and Nagoya, there is a high rate [of intermarriage] — one couple out of 10. According to an expert, over the past five years the number of [Japanese] women choosing Caucasian partners has increased more than tenfold. Is Japan, J-cast wonders, on the verge of becoming a society where [the presence of] mixed-breeds is taken for granted? (さらに…)
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Overseas and Married to a Foreign Spouse?
Obtaining U.S. citizenship is now easier for servicemembers’ foreign-born spouse thanks to a new law that allows interviews and swearing in on U.S. military bases overseas.
Click here for the rest of the story!
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Free Legal Telephone Counseling for Foreigners/Refugees
Hello! I received this from Debito: “I just received information about a hotline which will be open from 1 to 5pm on Sunday June 1st providing free legal advice to foreigners living in Japan. This is to test the demand for such a service in relation to research by the Japan Law Foundation being made by lawyers, NGOs and researchers on the necessity of starting a specialized law office/center for foreigners/refugees. Interpretation will be provided, in many languages.
If the hotline receives many calls, this will strengthen the case for such a service, which seems to be to be sorely needed.
If you also feel this could be an important service, please pass this information on.
For further information, please contact: Ms. Masako Suzuki on 03-5269-7773, at the Executive Committee for Foreigners Legal Counseling (c/o ALT Law Firm).”
HERE IS THE INFORMATION:
Free Legal Telephone Counseling for Foreigners/Refugees – By lawyers in different languages –
We, the Executive Committee for Foreigners Legal Counseling, have planned a one-day free legal telephone counseling for foreigners and refugees. Such a nationwide free legal telephone counseling focused on foreigners/refugees by lawyers has never been held so far.
More than 10 lawyers will join this event and multilingual interpretation service will be provided. This event is held in cooperation with the Center for Multilingual Multicultural Education and Research of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, the Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan, the Catholic Tokyo International Center (CTIC), Japan Association for Refugees (JAR), and the House in Emergency of Love and Peace (HELP).
Up to now, specialized legal consultations for foreigners/refugees are available only in regions around big city areas. The purpose of this event is to make it possible for foreigners who have difficulty accessing legal consultation to consult with lawyers.
It would be highly appreciated if you can help us disseminate information regarding this significant event. Please feel free to contact us at the following contact for any questions or further information.
This event has been planned in relation to the research of the Japan Law Foundation being made by lawyers, NGOs and researchers on the necessity of starting a specialized law office/center for foreigners/
refugees, to cope with the rapid increase of the non-citizen population in Japan.
Date: Sunday June 1, 2008 13:00 – 17:00
Tel: 03-3547-0300
Languages Available: Japanese, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, Russian, Indonesian, Burmese, Romanian and others.
Contact: Executive Committee for Foreigners Legal Counseling (c/o ALT Law Firm) Tel:03-5269-7773?Fax:03-5312-4543
MULTILINGUAL POSTER AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD IN PDF FORMAT AT:
http://www.debito.org/legaladviceforNJ.pdf
Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants and Immigrants to Japan
Arudou Debito & Higuchi Akira
A new bilingual book by lawyer Higuchi Akira and author-activist Arudou Debito went on sale in March 2008. The book includes advice on securing stable visas, establishing businesses and secure jobs, resolving legal problems, and planning for the future from entry into Japan to death.?In this extract, they explain the rationale behind the project and offer advice for how to deal with problems in Japan and integrate into Japanese society.
Migration of labor is an un-ignorable reality in this globalizing world. Japan is no exception. In recent years, Japan has had record numbers of registered foreigners, international marriages, and people receiving permanent residency. This guidebook is designed to help non-Japanese settle in Japan, and become more secure residents and contributors to Japanese society.
For detailed information on the book, the preface, and excerpts (see below) click here.
Chapter One: ARRIVING IN JAPAN
1 – Understanding the structure of the Japanese Visa System (the difference between “Visa”, “Status of Residence” (SOR) and “Certificate of Eligibility” (COE))
2 – Procedures for coming to Japan
– Acquiring SOR from outside Japan
– Changing or acquiring SOR from inside Japan
– Chart summarizing Visa, COE, and SOR
3 – Procedures after you came to Japan
– Bringing your family over to Japan
– Leaving Japan temporarily
– Extending your stay in Japan
– Changing jobs in Japan
– Changing SOR so you can work
– Chart summarizing Immigration procedures
4 – What kinds of Status of Residence are there?
– Chart outlining all 27 possible SOR
– Recommendations for specific jobs
– Requirements for select Statuses of Residence
5 – What if you overstay or work without proper status?
– Recent changes to Immigration law
– Examples of unintended violations
– Our advice if you overstay your SOR
6 – Getting Permanent Residency and Japanese Nationality
– Chart summarizing the requirements and differences between the two
7 – Conclusions and final advice on how to make your SOR stable
Chapter Four: WHAT TO DO IF… RESOLVING PROBLEMS
LIFESTYLE: FAMILY MATTERS:
…if you want to get married
…if you want to register your children in Japanese schools
…if you want to register your newborn Japanese children with non-Japanese names
…if you have a problem (such as ijime bullying) in your children’s schools
…if you want to change your children’s schools
…if you suffer from Domestic Violence
…if you want to get divorced
…if you are having visitation, child custody, or child support problems
…if you are a pregnant out of wedlock by a Japanese man
Click here for additional information on the author and his activist activities in Japan.
===================================
Book synopsis follows:
===================================
“HANDBOOK FOR NEWCOMERS, MIGRANTS, AND IMMIGRANTS TO JAPAN”
ISBN: 978-4-7503-2741-9
Authors: HIGUCHI Akira and ARUDOU Debito
Languages: English and Japanese
Publisher: Akashi Shoten Inc., Tokyo
On sale from March 15, 2008
372 Pages. Price: 2300 yen (2415 yen after tax)
Goal: To help non-Japanese entrants become residents and immigrants
Topics: Securing stable visas, Establishing businesses and secure jobs, Resolving legal problems, Planning for the future through to death…
===================================
TO ORDER: Click here! (Note: Depending on the interest generated by my BT readers, I will try to sell the handbook in the USA via my company if I can reach an agreement with Debito and the publisher .)
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )![Lake Dillon and a Tree [In Explore]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53731226172_4004cbfea4_s.jpg "Lake Dillon and a Tree [In Explore]")
Black Tokyo Japan 