Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2024 June 5 - 11 TOP3 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP Kira participates in protest demonstration against adversely-revised immigration law

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Kira Yoshiko on June 8 participated in a protest demonstration against the revised Immigration Control Act and marched in demonstration together with a group of 150 concerned citizens through downtown Shibuya in Tokyo.

The government, under the law which was adversely revised in June of last year, can deport foreign nationals who have applied for refugee status more than three times to their own countries even though they would be in danger of being persecuted.

Kira in her speech said, “It is the responsibility of government to protect, not exclude, asylum seekers who have repeatedly applied for refugee status in Japan. I will work hard with you to achieve a political system that protects their basic human rights.”

A Myanmar resident in Japan, one of the protesters, said, “The Japanese government is playing with our lives. We are human beings just like you Japanese. A country that values and respects human life will be a peaceful and democratic country. I hope that you will restore and defend democracy in Japan.

An additional proposed revision to the Immigration Control Act is under deliberation in the current session of the Diet, which would allow the revocation of permanent resident status of non-Japanese residents in the event of tax or social security payment arrears.

A 40-year-old man who has a friend from Myanmar said, “My friend has permanent resident status, but if the bill under discussion passes, his status could be revoked for failure to pay taxes assessed in time or for not carrying his resident card. Such a bill should be scrapped.”

Past related articles:
> Motomura opposes a proposed stipulation revoking permanent residency [May 9, 2024]
> Gov't bill ignoring asylum seekers' human rights enacted [June 10, 2023]