A Kurdish man takes four years to pass the qualification exam, believing that, even without a residence permit, “if I can help Japan, I will be recognized…”: Tokyo Shimbun TOKYO Web

The Immigration Services Agency announced that it has granted special permission to stay to 212 children, or about 80%, of foreign nationals born in Japan who do not have residency status and have been ordered to leave the country. At the same time, many parents and siblings were given permission, but there are still families in similar situations that were not helped. (Tomoyuki Morimoto)

◆ One of the qualifications required to operate a waste treatment business

“It took four years. It was long, but I passed on the ninth attempt. I was happy.” At a Japanese language class held in Warabi City, Saitama Prefecture with the civic organization “With Kurdish Residents in Japan,” a Kurdish man (43) who lives nearby showed me the certificate his completion of a test that tests waste knowledge. receipt and related laws Ta. It will pass in July. A certificate of completion is one of the conditions when applying for a license to operate a waste treatment business.

When you open the text, which looks like a phone book, you will find words that are difficult to understand such as “industrial waste under special control”. A person in charge of the foundation that administers the test says, “The test covers legal terminology that even Japanese people don’t know, so if you don’t have a certain level of Japanese language ability , you will not be able to understand the language. the meaning of the text.”

◆ Work is not permitted under “temporary release” status.

The man is from a rural area in Türkiye near the border with Syria. After visiting Japan once in the 2000s and returning home, he returned to Japan in 2014 with his wife and eldest daughter. The reason was discrimination and persecution by the Turkish government. Although he applied for refugee status, it was not approved and as of 2021, he has been placed on “temporary parole,” meaning he is temporarily released from being held in in-country facilities. migrant, and is not allowed to work.

So why did you take the test? The man said, “Maybe the immigration authorities will recognize that I can do this kind of work if I have residency status. “I believe that if I can help Japan, the Japanese people will recognize me.”

The investigation began around the time his asylum claim was rejected. Enrolling my oldest daughter, who is currently in fifth grade in elementary school, was also an opportunity. “I wanted to live the rest of my life in Japan. Since my daughter works hard at school, I thought I should do my best too.”

Although he could speak to some extent, he also had trouble reading basic kanji, such as not being able to read the “first” part of the sticker on his car “The beginning.”

Four years ago, I visited a Japanese language class for foreigners in the Shibazono housing complex in Kawaguchi City. I started by reading over and over the Japanese news that I gave him a ruby. Volunteer Noboru Eda (74) said, “He was always cheerful and serious. He never missed a class. The situation he was in must have been difficult, but he never smiled. I was inspired by his positive attitude.’” he said.

The man laughs and says, “If you keep repeating it 10 or 100 times, you will be able to do it.” the nearby great Warabi, his attitude towards learning is still the same, and his wife and children are also still present.

◆ I issued a residence permit for my child born in Japan, but my eldest son …

After coming to Japan, the man had his first son, who is currently in the third grade of primary school. The revised Immigration and Refugee Control Act enacted last year makes it possible to deport people from the third time onwards, even if they have applied for refugee recognition. At the same time, as a relief measure, the government issued residence permits to children born in Japan. First, the eldest son would have been eligible, and his family could have given permission, but that did not happen.

Relief measures only apply to children who have been released on temporary release and who have received a deportation order ordering them to leave the country. This is because the families of all the men had previously obtained a “detention order” ordering them to be held in a facility.

Lawyer Chie Komai, who is familiar with immigration administration, said, “No one knows when a deportation order will be issued, as it depends on the decision of the immigration authorities. … The fact that they were born and raised in Japan makes no difference and they still suffer because they do not have residency status, just to a different degree. There is a huge imbalance, and the government to give permission. As soon as possible.”

The man said, “I wonder why I didn’t get permission. But I think I still need something, and I have to work harder.”

Yes