“Filipino-Japanese Descendants: The History and the Travails”
The Filipino-Japanese Descendants or Nikkeijin are the descendants of Japanese who immigrated from the end of 19th century until the end of WWII, and who were left in Philippines because of repatriation and/or losing their parents or Japanese father because of the Pacific war. At present the number of Nisei (2nd Generation) is 3,585, Sansei (3rd Generation) is about 30,000, and the 4th generation will be included, the total number is estimated to reach 120,000.
Before WWII
From 1903 to 1905, many Japanese immigrated in Benguet in the northern part of Luzon to engage in the construction work of the “Benguet Road” connecting Manila and Baguio. After the completion of the construction work, many of the immigrants transferred to Mindanao, particularly Davao in order to work in the Abaca Plantations. They made the base of the new community called “The DAVAO Country”. They became the biggest producers of Abaca which was a very significant material for the rope at that time worldwide. The Japanese immigrants had increased in Davao because of the booming economy from the growing demands for abaca. They established their community by constructing various buildings like hospitals, schools, consular office, bazaars and other establishments needed for their convenience. in 1941, Japanese immigrants reached to 20,000, the biggest Japanese community outside of Japan, within the South East Asia.
During the WWII
Due to the outbreak of WWII, the circumstances surrounding the Japanese immigrants and their family suddenly changed. The Japanese immigrants in the Philippines were recruited to join the Japanese army as soldiers under Japanese army occupation. Such prevailing circumstances signaled the distraction of the much developed Japanese immigrant’s community and caused the separation of their families. The number of Japanese who died during the war was about 500, 000, on the other hand, there were more of less, 1, 111,000 Filipinos who died because of the fateful war.
After the WWII
After the end of WWII, all remaining Japanese in the Philippines were forced to repatriate to Japan. Unfortunately, almost all of their family members were left in the Philippines. They are the so-called “War-displaced Nisei” or the 2nd generation-they are the children of the Japanese immigrants. The war-displaced Japanese descendants were not only forced to be separated from their Japanese fathers, they were also forced to hide their identity as Japanese due to the resentment at that time by some Filipinos. They had to bury and destroy all proof that will connect to their Japanese roots, and many changed their Japanese name. In addition, they suffered poverty, and many were not able to attend schools.
The number of the Nisei
The total number of Nisei is 3,545, the total number of unrecognized Nisei is 811 (Including mortality). The living yet unrecognized Nisei is 282. (Reference: Entrusted survey by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, as of March 31, 2015).
Achievement of research activity for descendant’s wish: Restoration Identity as 2nd Generation.
Research for Japanese relatives and locating of Koseki of Japanese registration has become a continuing effort of the Japanese descendants in order that the Nikkeijin will be able to regain recognition as children of the Japanese. As a result of the recognition received by some of the Japanese descendants, they are given residence status if they wish to migrate to Japan. Moreover, Shuseki petition also commenced whereby 157 out of 217 petitions in the Family Court was approved while 23 cases were disapproved and 37 cases are pending. All of this are achieve through the great assistance and help of the Nippon Foundation, and PNLSC headed by Atty. Hiroyuki Kawai. In addition, there are 673 Nisei who are registered in the Japanese family registration.
Lobby activity to Philippine and Japanese governments
The Federation/Rengokai together with our supporters is continuing its effort to lobby for humanitarian consideration to acquire the status of the remaining unrecognized Nisei in Philippines.
Petitions are on-going for the support from the different government offices, both in the Philippines and Japan, including the request for cooperation for the on-going research work in the different localities.
Since many of the 2nd generation are already of age, there is a need to speed up the work since the pleas for recognition will no longer be effective if the Nisei is no longer alive. Thus, in order to hasten the work, meetings with high-ranking officials were made including that of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, Philippine-Japan Parliamentary Association, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Ambassador of the Philippines to Japan, and other relevant agencies.
