October 20, 2006 | Balita, Lathalain
Group Seeks Neglected Japanese Descendants via Poll
QUEZON CITY – Some rely on just their surnames to carry them to Japan and, hopefully, a better life. A group here wants to help.
Since August, the Federation of Nikkei-Jin Kai Philippines Inc. is undertaking a poll of Shin-Nikkei-jin (Japanese descendant) in the Philippines who were abandoned by their Japanese fathers.
The federation of 16 groups spread throughout the archipelago perceives these people to number in the thousands but government statistics remain unavailable or inaccurate.
The Philippine government and Japan have no record of the number of neglected Japanese descendants in the country because their birth certificates show their citizenship as Filipino.
Worse, some Japanese fathers refuse to recognize these children as from their blood despite the Filipino mother declaring otherwise.
Like the mother of 17-year-old Shilla-Mei Murakami who brought her to the office of federation-member Manila-Central Luzon NIPPI (Japan-Philippines) Association Inc. for inclusion into the group’s census.
“I want to meet my father and work in Japan,” said Murakami, a single mother to a seven-month old baby.
The five-foot Murakami stopped going to school after getting pregnant during her senior year. She works as a waitress in a coffee shop in Quezon City while living with her mother, who has since retired from working as an entertainer in Japan.
Beside her is 13-year-old Toshiyuki Ito Jr., who is more fortunate: he was able to meet his father.
Since Ito’s Japanese father was an entertainment promoter in Japan, he would make it a point to visit the young Ito when he was in Manila despite separating from the mother in 1996. The young Ito was just three years old that time.
He said they went to the federation’s office to seek help since his father has stopped seeing him since December 2000.
Murakami and Ito were among the 16 Shin-Nikkei-jins who registered with the MCLNAI the day that the group began its intensive search for an estimated 100,000 Japanese descendants in the country.
The federation expects to confirm that number when they reveal partial results by November this year.
Poled poll
THE Federation said it launched its nationwide three-month survey to determine the number of Shin-Nikkei-jins in the country and to help these new descendants to acquire Japanese nationality, work in Japan later on, or seek financial assistance from their Japanese parent.
Those who would register in any of the federation’s chapter offices in Quezon City, province of Iloilo and the cities of Baguio, Cebu, Zamboanga, Iligan, Cotabato and Davao, would automatically be included in the list of –and presumed as– Shin-Nikkei-jins.
Japanese descendants in the Philippines could be classified into two. There’re the Nikkei-jin, or those who were born before and during the second World War.
Shin-Nikkei-jin are those born after the war, specifically in the mid-80s, when Japanese-Filipino intermarriages increased as a result of the large number of entertainers working in Japan.
Shin-Nikkei-jins wanting to be included in that list fills up a form that bares their life history in connection with their Japanese lineage: name, birthday, and address in Japan of their father, etc.
Murakami and Ito’s mothers clutch between their fingers a Manila envelope carrying other supporting documents: birth certificate signed by the Japanese father recognizing the child as his own, marriage contract, and a photograph of the Japanese parent.
Getting registered into the federation’s database is free and hoped to gain for the descendants recognition of rights enjoyed by a Japanese citizen.
But Lourdes Yamaoka-Medina said they couldn’t promise that.
Not all the new descendants who would come to our office could be recognized as Japanese nationals, the 68-year-old MCLNAI Manila Chapter president said.
Hope census
STATISTICS from Japan showed that from 1993 to 2004, children born between Japanese and Filipino couples and registered in the Family Registry numbered 60,307. However, the number of Shin-Nikkei-jins could be much higher as illegitimate children are unaccounted for.
Based on the 2003 NSO record of marriages in the Philippines, among the 17,095 intermarriages between Filipino brides and grooms with foreign nationals, Japanese grooms have the highest number at 5,468.
During the same year, 155 Japanese women married Filipinos, the statistics office added.
Yamaoka-Medina said while parents or the Shin-Nikkei-jins themselves could register with the federation anytime, the group will come up with the initial number of new Japanese descendants in the Philippines by November this year.
The result will be submitted to the Japanese embassy in Manila for possible action of the Japanese government to assist Shin-Nikkei-jins acquire Japanese nationality or locate their Japanese parent.
“I hope the federation can help us process the papers of my two children and gain recognition by the Japanese government as Japanese nationals so that when they grow up and decide to work in Japan, they will be allowed,” said Luz Marbella, 36, from Sorsogon.
Marbella, who is now married to a Filipino, is a mother of 9-year old boy and 7-year old girl, who she said are both Shin-Nikkei-jins.
She is not married to the father of her two children because he has his own family in Japan. However, Marbella, who worked as entertainer in Japan, said the Japanese recognized her kids as his children through the birth certificates that were submitted to the Philippine National Statistics Office (NSO).
The children, however, are not registered under the Japanese Family Registry or Koseki of their father. Filipino-Japanese children included in the Koseki of their Japanese father can easily acquire Japanese nationality.
Under Japanese law, all households are required to report births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and criminal convictions to their local authority, which compiles the information into a detailed family tree that encompasses everyone within their jurisdiction.
If those pieces of information are not recorded in the Koseki, the Japanese government does not officially acknowledge them.
Still, Yamaoka-Medina said they have taken the first steps to reach this goal. –Tricia Marcelo, OFW Journalism Consortium
we are 3rd generation japanese descendants..we have been a member of a fil-jap association based in Baguio but was not active for years already because of the distance from our place going there to attend meetings..they informed us they found our koseki and can go to japan to work but after some time told us again that we can not go because our grand mother and our japanese grandfather were not married..I hope our family can get some help also..Thank you.
hi, im yuki ian yamauchi. im a second generation japanese decendant. i been searching for foundation who will help me to have visa from my father in japan. im hoping that i will know some agency or foundation who will help me about my father.please inform me about this..please give me some help about this.. thank you very much.
I have two children who were born in japan. Their father is a japanese citizen but the time they was born i have a filipino boyfriend. In their birth cert. their fathers name is my filipino boyfriend. My two children both have a japanese birth cert.given by the hospital where i gave birth. They were also baptise in a catholic church in japan,I have kept here their baptismal cert. Is there a possible way they can go to japan again because they always telling me that they already miss japan and want to go there again?Please give me more info and what necessary papers are needed.Thanks a lot and god bless.
im looking for my father mitsuaki onuma senior. i heard this association when it televise on tv..i want to see my father in personal.. i hope that i can see him. tHank you!
Gusto ko lang malaman kung meron bang japanese na ang apilyedo ay OMOTO na napunta dito sa pilipinas particularly in leyte during world war.
hi, i’m megumi. just like the other. i’m hoping you can help me find him and spend time with him.
please
tatay ko rin hapon kaso hiwalay sila nanay ko hinahanap ko po tatay ko kc tinago ako ng nanay ko.pwede ba akong matulungan at saan ako pwede humingi ng tulong.
Subukan po ninyo sa Philippine Nikkei-jin Legal Support Center
i’m 19 yrs old and i realize of exercising my right to know and meet my father. And sad to say, I never met him since birth. What are the things or steps that i should do to find him?please help on this.
im Rosemarie Villanueva..Noon 1987 nagpunta ako sa Japan,overstay ako,15 yrs old lang ako noon,nakilala ko at naging kasintahan si TOURU TAKINO.taga Maebashi Gunmaken.nagkalayo kami dahil lumipat ako ng lugar pero tuloy pa rin ang aming tawagan,nung mga Oct.1989 bumalik ako ng Maebashi at nagkita’t may nangyari sa amin.pero may gf na rin syang iba,hindi na kami nagkita hanggang nung umuwi na ako ng pilipinas ng June 1990.almost 8th months na akong buntis that time.kaya up to now hindi nya alam na may anak sya sa akin,gusto ko lang na makilala sya ng anak ko,na 17 yrs old na ngayon.balita ko ay pinakasalan nya yung pinalit nya sa akin.at may mga anak na rin sila,pero kung tutuusin ang anak ko ang panganay nya.dati i always tell my son na BAHALA NA SI LORD KUNG MAGKIKITA PA KAMI.And i’ve realized na its wrong,kasi its unfair to my son.pls. help me find him,if ever he can go to a dna testing just to be sure.thank you so much.
good day!
I’m a half japanese born in the phils.
my mom was an entertainer in japan back in the late 80’s when she met my dad who was already 10 years divorced at that time. When I was 2 yrs. old he left & never came back so I grew up thinking my dad was dead. However, my aunt who is already residing in Tokyo said my father’s relative contacted them which means he is still alive but he has a terminal illness. I would like to be able to see him & my older half sister by going to Japan. What documents would y’all need if ever I would like to ask for some kind of assistance to be able to go to Japan?
aku din I was born here and was raised by my mom on her own…I want to see my dad too and tell him that Ive grown inspite of his absence.
Takuro Nishiwaki of chiba pref…Ill find somehow….help!!!!anybody?????
i hope this wasnt too late for my reply ms. michelle furuya…. we can assist you as regardingf your situation text or call me at these numbers…09182514920
and also for you mr. yuki ian emerson we can assist you as long as you have an existing address and contact numbers of your father… just call or text at these numbers…09182514920
Please, I do want to find YUKI IAN EMERSON YAMAUCHI, thenumber 2 in this chat, give me his email address!!!
ei is there sum1 hu cud answer my question? i have a japanese descendant friend.but he is 4th generation, his great grandfather is a japanese national and now he is using the same japanese surname. is it possible for him to apply for a nikkei jin visa although he has no relatives here in japan? i need your reply as soon as possible.thanks! please send your answer on my email address. leonor_janice@yahoo.com
Good Morning!
Hi! I’m Koji. My mother is a japanese, she was born in Koza City Okinawa Japan. My Grand mother’s maiden surname is Machida and my grand father’s middle name is Sugihara. I am very interested to work in Japan. Please help me, I also want to meet my relatives in Japan. Thank you! —
ktorrente@yahoo.com / 09053382337 / 09157124488
in sept. 2007 my son applied for nikkei shin jin foundation in quezon city for his acknowledgment from his father in japan. medyo mabagal ata ang proceso . inspite of that, i gave all the legal documents which they are requested from us. how come it took so long? i have already gave the no. r of my son grandmother’s telephone no. my son is a legitimate child from a japanese . please you could be of help. we were abandoned for almost 14 yrs.thank you so much and hoping to hear from you soon.
hi!
my name is taro iwasaki, my dad died when i was 6 but apparently my dad was not able to register us when we were born but my dad and mom was married but we were not able to get support from the government. Any advise ????
hi po…just call me hiro na lang po..21 years old na ako.tubong mindanao.matagal ko na ring pangarap na matulungan po kami ng mga agency n namamahala dito.di ko naman inaasahan na tanggapin kami ng tatay ko….ang sa akin lang po ay sana matulungan naman kami ng japan embassy…maraming salamat po at sanay mabasa nyo ang aking letter.ito po ang # ko…09169621715.
hi im hannah… same as others im half japanese , i always wanted to see my father and exercise my rights as a japanese as well ,& i wanted to finish college … i’ve been longing to fill the the patch that my dad vacated long long time ago…. until now im searching for an organization that could help me reach my dad and also help me regain my citizenship. my mom told me that my father already recognized me as his legitimate daughter the only thing that hinders me from going to japan is that my father wasnt able to register me in his kosekitohon. i really don’t know what to do.. please help me…. the last thing i’ve heard about my dad is he is sick and i really really wanted to see him …… could someone give me some information regarding this matter ? tnx
im micaela ive been trying to look for an organization who would help me locate my father im 18 yrs. old now and still i dont know the face of my father the only thing i know about him is his age,name and his old address. my father recognized me aas his daughter but i dont know if he registered me in his koseki. please help us see our fathers again.
I am Krystle Kate Saito or “japi” as my family and friends call me…i am the daughter of Mr. Masaru Saito and Ms. Rosemarie Antonette Galvez.
all these years i’ve been looking forward to seeing my father. my father was supposed to come to the philippines right after my birth on March 15,1988 but because his business was broke and he had many debts to pay,my mother lost contact with him. we weren’t able to hear a word from him since then.
for 20 years i’ve longed to get the chance to meet him. i’ve never had a father. i hope you can help me. my only wish is to see him and be able to go and work in Japan and help my mother!
i’ll look forward to your answer…thank you in advance and God bless you!
please send your answer to my email address
kate_saito@yahoo.com
or please contact me on these numbers (072)7002674 / 09093881875
thank you so much…God bless you all!!!
hi im Dino E Langan
from the Mountain Lake mSebu South Cot
to find relative in Japan,
please help me to find my relative in your Embassy
pls sent a imformation
sent this email,nightlyman55@yahoo.com
hi i’m Aiko Estrella just like them i’ve been longing for my father for so many years ago. i’m already turning 18 this comming october and hopefully i found my papa. his name is Akira Saitto if anyone who know him please cantact me at this no.09162624352 or 9336343 or email me at jheskoh_142000@yahoo.com,hope someone can help me for my problem:(
hi i’m david asano,i’ve been looking for my father so many years,but i dont know how.im now 17 years old,Katzumi Asano the name of my father.before my mother was working as a singer in tokyo japan where they meet.i was born here in manila,he sign my birthcertificate and the last time he visit me when i was 3 years old. my mothers name is Gemma Linga.if anyone know my father pls.email me at aaa_kawaii@yahoo.com or contact me at 09216074610 i hope someone can help to find my father coz i want to continue my study and to know how it feels when u have a father.
ako po ay 3rd generation nikkei jin. ang father ko po ang second generation. at nasa japan na rin po sya at ang mga kapatid nya. gusto ko rin po sanang makapunta sa japan pero hindi po kasal ang nanay at tatay ko.ano po ang maganda kong gawin?pwede po ba na tita ko na lang ang mag acknowledge sa akin? tulungan nyo po sana ako. maraming salamat po..
hi aim maiko
ive been looking for my father so many years , but i dont know how .. im 17 yrs.old now going 18 on sept 01 .. can you help me to find my father ? i cannot see him since birth ..because my mother dont want me to see my father.. thats why i have a lots of problems on my papers.. i want to see him because i want to go in japan .. my mother is now married with a japanese man .. she Live in kyoto now .. my mothers name is alma malibiran . if you find my father pls. contact me on this no . 09192261488/09274244092 or jast e mail me at : bheybhieanjhel @yahoo.com .. i hope you can help me .. thanks ..
the name of my father is yuzuo zuzuki .. i dont know if the spelling is right .. pls help me to find him .. i want to meet him .. tenks ..
Toshihiro August 18 2008 8:43 am:
I,m asking your assistance to locate my father.His name Toshihiro hoke
I did not know his address just company name nippon electric instalation com.he worked
in our country as electrical engineer pass marcos colony.can i get the address of this foundation
please help me im longing to meet him.
Toshihiro August 18 2008 8:43 am:
I,m asking your assistance to locate my father.His name Toshihiro hoke
I did not know his address just company name nippon electric instalation com.he worked
in our country as electrical engineer pass marcos colony.can i get the address of this foundation
please help me im longing to meet him.
toshihirojrh@yahoo.com
09063993427
Im Yuki joy Kishimoto, 18 yrs old born last June 26,1990 from #26 daang bato, Lawangbato Valenzuela City.
contact nos. 09228688996/09227196125/4320060.
Just like them,im a half japanese longing for my dad.My dad and mom are married in Baguio City last June 6,1990.Im the eldest of three kids,and both of them are with my father,and im the one here in the philippines.I want to see my father Yoshitaka Kishimoto,my grandmother Masako Kishimoto,my grandfather Takatomo Kishimoto,and my two siblings Tomoko and Masashika.I have documents: marriage contract,certified copy of persons family register issued by the mayor of Toki City,Gifu Pref.for the consul-general of Japan Mutsuo Hosotomo issued June 1,1990,my Birth certificate here in the Phil.,Pictures of my family in Japan.Here are the addresses from the old letters: GIFU-KEN,TAGIMI-SHI TAIHE-CHO,I-CHOME,11 BANCHI FAMIRSINO,A-201,JAPAN TEL.0572-25-39-93; GIFU-KEN TOKI-SHI,URUSHI-CHO 141718-18 BANCHI 7509-52 JAPAN; KYOTO CITY KYOTO-YU TOKI CITY GIFU PREF JAPAN.Please help me to become a dual citizenship, see my family, support my educational needs and to work in Japan.Thank you and God bless!
good day pls help my nephew he is already 16 years old but theirs no support from his father Shigeru Yasunaga located at Yokohama Japan….
Hi, i’m a mom of a japanese child who’s 18 years old now named Michel Kenji Nunez his a child of Fumio Fukuda from takikawa hokkaido japan, the last time he was able to see our child was when he was 2 years old since then we don’t receive any calls and support for my child from him. when our child turned 5 years old he started asking me about his father Fumio Fukuda, i can’t answer him well b’coz i don’t know where Fumio Fukuda his at since then till now. I am really thinking of any organization or foundation who can be of help to locate Fumio Fukuda for my childs longing for him, untill while watching tv i was able to watch your foundation help iwamotto a tv star to see her father and now i’m trying to reach out for your help thru my email, please i hope you can answer our wanting for 18 years to locate and find Fumio Fukuda…GOD BLESS
Hello Po puede po bang makahinge ng e-mail add ng foundation na makatulong sa akin sa paghanap ng aking ama na isang Japanese. Gusto ko po kc siya makita. Sana mabigyan nyo po ako ng e-mail add o website na makatulong sa akin…Maraming salamat po..
im yuki joy kishimoto, 18yrsold.. like other, longing for my dad. He is Yoshitaka Kishimoto..
can you pls help me to find him?? thanks..
contact me at 09228688996 or 09227196125
i wanna know where i can find the “shin nikkei jin support foundation”, im one of shin nikkei jins, c: hope ill receive somee from heree c: tnku
tawag po kayo dito sa office namin 5366585, phil. shin nikkei support foundation
tawag po kayo sa office namin, 5366585 PHILIPPINE SHIN NIKKEIJIN SUPPORT FOUNDATION
Hi im haira jelline ishihara deluna, im also one of japanesse child who abundant by my father since im 2 yrs old… now im 12 yrs old & im also looking for someone to help me find my father name HIKARU ISHIHARA,,I know his old address coz my mom gave it to me.If you can help me heres his address #134-3 Osato cho kufo shi yamanashi ken japan..thank you & i hope you can help me also find my father…
hello po, im haru im turning 9 this october and im missing my dad so much, it’s been months na po na wala kami communication pag tumatawag po kami sa cell nya gindi nya po sinasagot kahit mag leave ako message wala po… miss na miss ko na po sya bakit kaya ayaw nya makipag communicate mabait po ang daddy ko at responsible pero bigla lang po ngayon hindi sya nakikipag usap. help me pls… gusto ko po makapunta sa tokyo disneyland with my dad.
hellow po,im haira jelline ishihara,i hope u can help me find my father,whose name is Hikaru Ishihara.He left me since im 2yrs old,now in 12yrs old already.im longing to see him.Like his other child i want also to go to japan to visit him..please help me find my father heres his old address #134-3 Osato Cho Kofu Shi,Yamanashi Ken Jpn..
hello..ako po si hiroshi s. nagami…half-japanese po ako ang tatay ko ay hapon at nag nanay ko ay pilipina. iniwan po ako ng tatay ko nung ako ay 3 taon gulang pa lamang at ako ay 15 taong gulang na. gusto ko po sana himingi ng tulong sa “philippine shin nikken jin” para makita ko ang tatay ko na hapon. gusto ko man po na pumunta sa inyong opisina pero wala po kaming sapat na pera.
konnichiwa. sana po matulungan nyo po kami ng baby ko… actually po hanggang ngaun po nagkakausap pa rin po kami ng sister-in -law ko nakapatid ng asawa ko. ngaun po naghahanap na din po sila kaso po kapos din po sila sa budget kasi po may pamilya rin po sya. sa hokkaido po ang ate ko. sabi po ng ate ko nasa nagoya po ang asawa ko. kahapon po nagtxt po sya ito po ang tnxt nya.. kouta renraku toreta mousukoshi matte okane dekitara renraku suru hanashiteta hataraitemo ima mada taihen ganvattelu.. sana po matulungan nyo po kaming lahat…hindi naman po agad ako makapunta sa ofc nyo po kasi po kulang rin po ako sa budget. sana po matulungan nyo po kami ng baby sa lalung madaling panahon. kaylangan ko po ang asawa ko dahil mahal ko po sya sobra! salamat po!