The daughter, who is 13, chose to stay with an aunt. She was born in Japan and speaks only Japanese, but her parents entered Japan illegally. (A country with rigid, inflexible, and harsh immigration laws.) Mom finally got busted in 2006 and one of those nationally polarizing sagas ensued. Three years later, their poor daughter is weeping at the airport while cameras flash, and she has to choose between her parents and her country. She chose to stay, and likely will not see her parents again until she’s 18. It’s a terrible, heartbreaking situation, but only her parents are to blame.
Japan hasn’t changed; they knew the gamble they were taking. I might have too were I living in the impoverished farming village they’re returning to in the Philippines. But I’d like to think I would have chosen to illegally immigrate to a country with more flexible laws regarding aliens.
Then again, I also think we should abolish the boundaries between countries all over the world and let people go wherever they want to.
Yeah, I’m one of those One World People. There’s more than enough for all of us, but we’re too selfish and tribal to share with each other. Until then, Japan gets to enforce its laws.
