Updates on Filipinos in Japan

Agrarian reform brought us first to Japan in 1976. Could the Japanese experience of Agrarian Reform during the American Occupation Period provide insights and lessons for the Philippines ? Then, as now, we still believe that if the plight of the Filipino farmers and other food producers are not improved and if food security is not ensured, there is no way for this country to move on. Poverty will always be in our midst.

In 1992, a young Filipino female entertainer died after some months of arrival in Japan. The death of Maricris Sioson started some bilateral friction between Japan and the Philippines. The Filipino people were angry and wanted Japan to apologize for not taking care of a very young Filipina, who unexpectedly died at the prime of her youth and good health.

Even the Philippine Ambassador to Japan then, Ambassador Ramon del Rosario, sincerely wanted to understand why, despite so much danger and risk, Filipino women continued to come in thousands to Japan to work as entertainers.

He commissioned us to do a research about our entertainers in Japan and since then, our research has moved us from focusing on the plight of our farmers to our entertainers and Filipinos in Japan. It was providential that the Lord had brought us to Japan from the 70s to various periods after that, including the present. Our familiarity with Japan, their culture and language, as well as our continuing association with our Filipinos in Japan has allowed us to be able to follow up their stories and their situation through the years.

And how are our Filipinos in Japan now? Unlike the 70s to the early 2000 when young, female entertainers were predominant, now the spouses and daughters of Japanese nationals are more in number. Permanent and long-term residents among the Filipinos also indicate that a significant number of our people are settling or have settled in Japan.

The ban on entertainers stopped the huge wave of more of our young women to come to Japan. Japan's bubble burst of their economy also saw less patrons in clubs where our entertainers worked. There are a number of new talents, as they are called, who still manage to be brought to Japan but from now on, caregivers and nurses from the Philippines are expected in large numbers to enter Japan, especially after the approval of the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement.   In the past, the problems of our Filipinos in Japan were work-centered. These days, with more of them settling down in Japan, more family/household-related problems are evident.

For example, overheard at the Philippine Embassy, were two Filipino women who sighed and said, "nakakapagod na, nandito na naman tayo para ikasal ulit sa Japanese husband natin na na-divorce na natin!" Apparently, from the time they divorced their Japanese husbands, they were able to patch up their disagreements. Hence, they found themselves back at the Philippine Embassy to file for re-marriage to the same partners!

While many are marrying Japanese nationals, the divorce rate is also high. "Parang nagpapalit lang ng damit ang mga Pinoy dito," remarked another Filipino upon learning that many of their former Filipino friends married to Japanese or Filipinos were ready to marry other partners soon.

   Loneliness in a foreign country and unfamiliarity with the language and culture can be very oppressive for many of our Filipinos in Japan. Add the economic uncertainty of stable jobs especially for the undocumented workers and you will find so many of our Filipinos here unable to resist the temptation of forging illicit relationships or breaking old ones for new ones.

There are also, however, the very satisfied Filipinos here who find Japan a good place to work in and to live in during the prime of their life. But like every other migrant, they long to return back to the Philippines upon retirement. Or a number of them would like to go to a third country, especially where welfare and health services are kinder and where economic opportunities are present, where their families will be well taken cared of for life.

Every Filipino wishes to return soon to their families in the Philippines if only the country's economic and political situation gets better. The migrants, even in Japan, cannot risk having their families not survive or not live in comfort and in security. Hence, they await a better Philippines and better genuine leaders before deciding whether to return to the Philippines or not.

In the meantime, the Filipinos in Japan try to make do a day at a time. The technology and the malls keep them preoccupied for a while but once they return to their homes and rooms, they realize only too well how alone and vulnerable they are, like every other migrant, away from home and their loved ones.

May the day for their return to a better country, to their families and loved ones, come sooner!

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