行政書士の笠間さんと日本国籍再取得を目的として来日するケースのミーティングをオンラインで実施しました。※English is below.

マニラのマリガヤハウスからは2ケース、ダバオのRGS-COWからは4ケースの母子が参加しました。いずれも子どもがすでに18歳、19歳になっており、来年の3月31日までに来日して、日本国籍の再取得の届け出をしないと日本国籍を取得できない緊急ケースです。現在の日本の国籍法12条では、海外で生まれた日本人の婚内子で出生届と日本国籍留保届を出生後3か月以内に在外日本大使館に届け出ないと日本国籍を喪失するとされています。JFCネットワークのケースで受理した婚内子のケースの7割の子どもたちは日本国籍を喪失しています。重要な点は①資力のある身元保証人がいること、②日本国籍取得するまでの生活の基盤の証明、③日本国籍取得後の将来設計、とのご指摘を受け、滞在先・雇用先を確保して資力を証明し、子どもたちには将来の人生設計・夢についてまとめてもらうことにしました。

日本国籍を得ることがゴールではありません。日本国籍を得ることは子どもたちの将来の選択の機会を増やすことになります。せっかく得たチャンスを最大限に生かすのは子どもたち自身です。そのチャンスを最大限に生かせるよう私たちはサポートをしていく予定です。

We held an online meeting with Ms. Kasama, an certificated Administrative Procedure Specialist, for cases coming to Japan for the purpose of obtaining Japanese nationality again. Two cases from Maligaya House in Manila and four cases from RGS-COW in Davao were attended with mothers and children. All of these cases are emergency cases where the children are already 18 or 19 years old and cannot obtain Japanese nationality unless they come to Japan by March 31 of next year and submit a notification of reacquisition of Japanese nationality. According to Article 12 of the current Japanese Nationality Law, a child born out of wedlock to a Japanese national born abroad loses Japanese nationality if a birth certificate and notification of reservation of Japanese nationality are not submitted to the Japanese embassy outside Japan within three months of the birth. 70% of the children in the cases of children born out of wedlock accepted by the JFC Network have lost Japanese nationality. We have been advised that the important points are (1) to have a guarantor with sufficient resources, (2) to prove a basis for living until obtaining Japanese nationality, and (3) to plan for the future after obtaining Japanese nationality. We have decided to secure a place to stay and employment to prove financial resources and have children summarize their life plans and dreams for the future.

Obtaining Japanese nationality is not their goal. Obtaining Japanese nationality will increase the children’s opportunities to make choices for their future. It is up to the children themselves to make the most of the opportunities they have obtained. We will support them so that they can make the most of their opportunities.