Emergency Action Against Japanese Immigration and Refugee Policy

【Statement】
On March 6th, Wishma, a 33year old Sri Lankan woman died due to hunger in the detention center in Nagoya. The detention center is a facility managed by the Japanese immigration bureau, where non-japanese foreign nationals without residencies are detained. The United Nations Human Rights Council has criticized this situation, stating that “it goes against the International Covenants on Human Rights” because individuals are detained for an indefinite period, and also due to the problematic environment within these detention centers.

Despite the situation, the Japanese Government is currently trying to reform this immigration policy, proposing a new law which is strictly criticized by many supporters of the detainees as “the worst reform in history”. Furthermore, the UN Human Rights Council’s working group and Special Rapporteur released an open letter to the Japanese Government on March 31st, stating that the discussed amendment is against international human rights law, and that it should be reconsidered.

We believe that it is not correct to be passive bystanders to an amendment that will violate the fundamental human rights of many individuals.

【Emergency Action Against Japanese Immigration and Refugee Policy】
【Organizers】
Shu Fukui (Voice Up Japan)
Kazuna Yamamoto (Voice Up Japan)
Yui Nagashima (#FREEUSHIKU)
Yuichi Araki (#FREEUSHIKU)
Moe Miyashita (Lawyer, IMADR- The International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism-)
Takahiro Akedo (Sociologist)
Wakako Fukuda (Former member of SEALDs, Graduate School Student)
Koichi Yasuda (Journalist)
Sachi Takaya (Sociologist, Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan)
Sooyeon Choi (Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan)
Makiko Ando (Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan)
Ayaka Machida (Activist, Graduate School Student)
Daisuke Tsuda (Journalist)
Members of #FREEUSHIKU
Boongang Kim (Korea NGO Center)
Wataru Takahashi (Lawyer)
Yasuko Morooka (Lawyer)
Koichi Kodama (Lawyer)
Kenichiro Ito (Same Immigrants Osaka)
Kim Myong Hwa（SaveImmgrantsOsaka）
Shunji Takasago（SaveImmigrantsOsaka）
Fusae （SaveImmigrantsOsaka）
Jwa Yongjik（SaveImmigrantsOsaka）
Rika Nakano（SaveImmigrantsOsaka）
Hideaki Miura（SaveImmigrantsOsaka）
SaveImmigrantsOsaka一同

【Supporters】
Isoko Mochizuki (Journalist)
Kazuko Fukuda (Founder of the #Nandenaino Project)
Anna Osada (Writer)
Nobuyuki Sato (National Christian Conference for Promotion of a Basic Law for Foreign Residents)
HAN, Tong-hyon (Faculty member)
Hatsuho Yamaguchi (Sole proprietor)
Eri Kurobe (Literary Profession)
Migiwa Miyajima(Musician)
Nanako Inaba (Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan/Professor at Sophia University)
Yukki sya Koyanagi (Writer)
Tsutsui, Yukie (Unemployed)
Ibusuki, Syoichi (Lawyer)
Tomo Kimura (Doctor, Writer)
Sugihara, Koji (Representative of NAJAT)
Junichi Inoue (Scriptwriter, Movie director)
Hiroshi Samejima (Journalist)
Ryuji Morita (Novelist)
Karyn Nishimura (Journalist)
Fuemi (The originator of "# I oppose the revision of the public prosector's office law")
Yasuhiro Sato (Art historian, Emeritus Professor of Tokyo University)
Yoko Shida (Professor of Musashino Art University)
Miho Takahashi (Olympian)
Kozo Nagata (Journalist, Professor of Musashi University)
Keiko Kojima (Essayist)
Rei Shiba (Journalist)
Chie Mikami (Movie director)
Hozumi Matsumoto (Student of International Christian University)
Ari Hatsuzawa (Photographer)
Hiromu Mochizuki (Lawyer)
Mitsuko Hirai (Secretary-general of Children and Textbooks Osaka Network 21)
Yoji Sakate (Playwright, Director)
Yuki Kitazumi (Freelance Journalist)
Jiro Yamaguchi (Professor of Hosei University)
Kazuhiro Soda (Filmmaker)
Nahoko Hishiyama (Deputy secretary-general of ”Stop!” Citizen liaison committee of the deterioration of the constitution)
Yuko Yanai (Editor, Writer)
Natsuko Bogo (Cartoonist)
Chizuko Ueno (Sociologist, Cheif director of WAN)
Kenichiro Mogi (Neuroscientist)
Yoichiro Tateiwa (Journalist)
Koji Yabe (Writer)
Koichi Nakano (Political scientist)
Keiko Ota (Lawyer)
Masami Watanabe (Office worker)
Aiko Kimura (Former chief director of Japan ILO conference, former professor of Japan Women's University)
Noritake Moriyama (Academician)
Tsuyoshi Inaba (Tsukuroi Tokyo Fund, Rikkyo University faculty)
Mitsuko Uenishi (University faculty)
Takeshi Nakajima (Professor of Tokyo Institute of Technology)
Michiyoshi Hatakeyama (Freelance Writer)
Shigeaki Koga (Forum 4, Former bureaucrat of METI)
Soichiro Ohata (Peace Boat)
Junpei Akashi (Lawyer)
Tatsuya Mori (Movie director, Writer)
Minori Suzuki (Writer, Queer)
Yoichi Fukui (Artist)
Masanori Shukuya (Emeritus professor of Tokyo City University)
Yuri Miyajima (Caregiver, Owner of restaurant)
Atsushi Yamada (Journalist)
Taeko Ishida (Sole proprieter)
Fumikazu Nishitani (Journalist)
Hiroshi Samejima (Journalist)
Takaaki Matsumiya (Professor of Ritsumeikan University)
Masato Takeichi (Academician)
Seyarogai-ojisan (Comedian)
Reiko Okutani (The founder of The R Co. Ltd.)
Rasa-ru Ishii (Actor, Director)
Hiroyuki Ida (Planning committee, Web editor of "Weekly Friday")
Kayoko Ikeda (Translator of German literature)
Shin Su-gok (President of Norikoenet)
Jinshiro Motoyama (“Henoko” Prefectural Referendum Council representative/Graduate student)
Kazuomi Yamaguchi(Company Ownder)
Seiko Sugiyama (Social Worker, Mental Health Welfare Worker)
Chikako Nishikawa (Housewife)
Satoko Miyakoshi (NEW ERA Ladies)
Martin Fackler (Temple University)
Kyoko Nakajima (Writer)
Yumi Ishikawa (Activist, Starter of #KuToo Petition)
Kako Shirata (Adjunct Professor at Tokyo International University)
Minori Kitahara (Owner of Love & Peace Cub)
Hanayo Ooya (Journalist)
Kihei Maekawa (Former Administrative Vice Education Minister)
Ken Numata (Unemployed)
Natsuhiko Watase (Non-fiction Writer)
Ken Hirano (University Professor)
Koto Ottawa (Artist)
Tomoko Uraki (Lawyer)

Naoko Kasama (University Worker)
Ken Takada (Co-Representative of Administrative Comittee of “No War, Don’t break the 9th amendment)
Taegyo Seo (Journalist)

Keisuke Nakamura (Company Employee)
Bunjiro Hara (Member of Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan, Anti-Poverty Network)

Naoya Shiraishi (Graduate Student at International Christian University)
Toshimasa Oota (Educational Journalist)

Yuko Okamoto (Assembly Member of Matsudo-City, Vice President of Diversity Matsudo)
Motoko Yamagishi (Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan)

Kyoko Hoshino (Unemployed)
Masazumi Yonemochi (Social Worker, Mental Health Welfare Worker)

Takayuki Okamoto (Administrative Scrivener, President of Diversity Matsudo) 
Miwa Kasuga (Doctor)

Ayu Mitsutake (Doctor)

Akiko Hattori (Creator)

Naomi Kamata (Social Worker, Employee)

Kangija Choi (Network of Kawasaki City Citizens that don’t tolerate hate speech)
Saki Zukeran (Social Worker, Mental Health Welfare Worker)

Kimiko Tanaka (Ushikunokai)

BARBARA DARLINg (Artist / Group to get to know the Kurdish)
Sumiko Hatakeyama (Peaceboat)

Tomoyuki Nakano (With the Small)

Natasha Cheong (Student at International University of Health and Welfare)
Junko Ozawa (Midwife)
Women Rush Hour Muramoto (Comedian)
Ken Terawaki (Professor at Kyoto University of the Arts)

Wataru Takahashi (Lawyer)
Takao Yamada(Former Preparatory School Professor)

Hiroshi Kogure (Screenwriter) 

Chihiro Onuma (Metal Worker)

Kazuya Yamada (Documentary Director)

Viktor Virag (Ph.D. Social Welfare, University Professor)
Seiichiro Nishinaka (Journalist)
Yumiko Nakajima (Solidarity Network with Migrants)

Emiko Suzuki (Acupuncturist)

Hiroko Shintani (Writer)
Keiko Hira (Office Employee, NAJAT - Network Against Japan Arms Trade)
Tamayo Akasaka (Secratory of Congress)

Juri Takagi (Actor)

Yumeno Nito (President of Colabo)
Hifumi Okuniki (Associate Professor at Sagami Women’s University)

Tatsuma Nakagawar (Human)

Sachiko Saito (Photographer)

Mami Hasegawa (Social Worker, Mental Health Welfare Worker)

Shingo Maruoka (Office Worker)

Mikiko Ishikawa (Former Government Official)

Daisuke Seto (General Officer of the Anti Poverty Network)

Naoko Wakabayashi (PR Consultant )

Karin Koretsune (Writer)

Eriko Suzuki (Faculty Worker at Kokushikan University/Solidarity Network with Migrants)

Takashi Matsuo (Actor)
Satomaki (Snack SHAKAIKA)

Chitose Oka(Employee)
Kahoruko Yamamoto (Faculty Member at Tokyo Metropolitan University)
Kyuma Ayaka (Reparer / Musician )

NOBUHIRO SUWA (Movie Director)
Hikari Fujii (Artist)
Atsuko Nagayama (Anti Poverty Network Saitama)
Nozomi Tanabe (Student)

【Plan of Action】
Online Panel Discussion “For a society where she would have lived #JusticeForWishma -Policy Reform and problems regarding the imigration bureau detention center”
Date:April 10th (Saturday) 20:00-21:30JST
Where: Voice Up Japan’s Youtube Channel
Our Speakers:Ayaka Machida (Activist, Graduate Student) Behzad Abdollahi (Iranian, #FREEUSHIKU ) Kazuna Yamamoto (Voice Up Japan) Lissa Hiruta Yamada (Voice Up Japan)Shu Fukui (Voice Up Japan) Wakagi Takahashi (#FREEUSHIKU), Yui Nagashima (#FREEUSHIKU)
Content: This event will be covering the existing problems in the detention center of the Japanese Immigration Bureau along with the issues around the new policy reform. We will also cover the reality inside such detention centers, while presenting our plan of action for the next months.

*Guidelines for COVID-19: Please stay at home if you fit any of the following characteristics.

Those with a fever of over 37.5 degrees, or those with symptoms of a cold
Those who have had, or may have had contact with people diagnosed with COVID-19
Those who do not feel well
Those who have not completed their 14-day quarantine period after entering Japan
Please wear a mask at all times and disinfect your hands frequently.
This standing will be a silent protest, so please maintain physical distance throughout the demonstration.

Peaceful Protest & Relay Speech in front of the Parliament Building (国会議事堂前）
Date: April 15th (Thursday) 19:00- JST
Place: In front of the Parliament Building
Information: Standing with banners, relay speech by students, activists and politicians.

Open Letter to International Human Rights Organizations and Commitees
Date: Undecided

For questions, please contact Kazuna Yamamoto at emergencyaction.immigration@gmail.com