Mofa Archives - Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai, Incorporated

Jun

2017

MoFA Interview February 22 and 23, 2017

By Admin

Hon . Consul Shiro Furihata of The Ministry of Foreign Affair in coordination with the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai Legal Support Center headed by Mr. Inomota, Norihiro together with The Nippon Foundation represented by Ms. Ikuko Okubo came to Davao City, purposely to interview members of the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai, Inc. (PNJK) Davao City Chapter.

This is one project that started last year involving the Ministry of Foreign Affair. In year 2015, Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai Rengokai headed by Mrs. Ines P. Mallari together with members-chapter presented to His Excellency Prime Minister Shinzo Abe documents containing more than 27,000 signatures, whereby an appeal had been interposed to give war-displaced descendants belonging to Category C classification the chance to present proofs evidencing their affiliation with the Japanese national. The Japanese government took notice of the plight of Category C descendants that it consented to take part in conducting interviews to somehow help them secure their own family registration by way of shuseki petition.

With this arrangement, Japanese consuls have been assigned to go to various chapters, meet the descendants that needed assistance, conduct an interview and weigh their evidence presented in order to qualify for shuseki petition. The petition is being handled by Japanese lawyers headed by Atty. Hiroyuki Kawai.

With the presence of Consul Furihata, on February 22, 2017 in the morning, two Category C descendants were interviewed at the PNJK Inc. board room namely:

Ceriaca – Ayako Konno Odoy whose father was from Fukushima, Japan and migrated to Davao, worked as abaca farmer in Tamugan. Allegedly the father joined the Japanese army during the war. Nothing was heard from him thereafter.

Tomasa –Masae Sejima Geraldes. Tomasa known as Masae believed that the surname of her father was Oshima. Per baptismal record her father’s name is Sausima Daguidor. Neighbors said the last name of her father is Sausima Sejima Senichi. The father was killed during the war. These are the only facts so far that the concerned descendant could relay to the screening committee.

In the afternoon of February 22, 2017, Cirilo Kimura was called and this is his story: his father Onna Lundas from Tamayong Bagobo tribe arrived in Calinan in 1929 and engaged in abaca farming. Cirilo Kimura was four years old when the war broke out. They took refuge in Samal and merely heard that his parents were killed.

Another descendant named Alicia chico Kodaira was asked about her background. Her father came to Davao and engaged in abaca farming under Ohta Development Company. Her Japanese father met Hanumaria Boholano. They got married in Cebu in 1935. Two children were born out of this marriage, namely: Hisao and Chiko. During the war the Japanese father was a driver of a Japanese Army while the mother and children left for Bohol. They survived the war and in 2005 they came to Mindanao and sought the assistance of the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai. With research work coming from PNLSC they found the koseki of kodaira.

On February 23, 2017, two siblings were interviewed, namely: Rosalina Tamae Habuchi and Hitche Habuchi. Before the war the father was working as storekeeper owned by Ohta Development Company in Sta. Cruz. Later, the Japanese father opened a new store in Barangay Maglibas. He met Diola Manga and got married through tribal marriage. Nine (9) children were born. Three children went to Japanese school. During the war three children with the father were captured. The children later were released but the father was shot to death. They ran to the mountains and during peace time they came down and upon hearing the association of nikkeijins they became members. Later the koseki of the father was located with the help of the association.

All descendants who were interviewed are appealing that they be recognized to enable them to see relatives in Japan if still living. Moreover, once they are recognized it is a one legacy that can be left to their children and the young generations to come.

Nov

2016

MOFA INTERVIEW

By Admin

The meeting in 2015 in Japan of the group composed of Mrs. Ines P. Mallari, Rengokai President, Mr. Carlos Teraoka , the former FNJK President, Mr. Benedicto Onari, the former President of the Cebu Nippi, Mr. Lemuel Yoshimura, a 2^nd generation descendant but has not yet been recognized, Mrs. Estellita Roales of the Cotabato Nikkei and Ret. Judge Antonina B. Escovilla of the PNJK, Inc. Davao City with the high ranking official of the Nippon Foundation, Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, its chairman yielded positive result. Chairman Sasakawa facilitated the meeting of the group with the Prime Minister of Japan Hon.Shinzo Abe including different officials of the House of the Representative.

After meeting the officials named above, on May 23, 24, and 25, 2016, the unrecognized descendants were fortunate to have met in person here in Davao City, the Hon. Consul Susumu Tsuda, Counsellor and First Consul of the Embassy of Japan, based in Manila, Mr. Tadashi Miyazaki of the Nippon Foundation, Ikuko Okubo the Project Coordinator of International Affairs of Nippon Foundation and Mr. Norihiro Inomata, Director General of PNLSC of Japan.

The first to be interviewed that was held at the Board Room of PNJK, Inc. were Pacita Maramoto Torres, Roque Go Maramoto and Estodi Go Maramoto

Their father’s name is Maramoto Mashimura who worked as a carpenter. Most of the time he was engaged to work in the construction of houses as well as in the making of furniture. His Japanese friends were Shiroma Joho, Habuchi, Tsukagawa, Kimura, Tatsukama, Kusajima who worked either as farmer or fisher. They likewise married Filipino women in Manobo tribal marriage. Maramoto Mashimura married their mother Go Tomibay and had five children, two however died during their childhood. In 1940 while doing carpentry work in a house he fell causing injuries that made him bedridden. He passed away and was buried in the mountains of Colaman, Jose Abad Santos. With the outbreak of the war, all Japanese were nowhere to be found.

The next descendant who was interviewed was Inocencia Arakaki Aglang, 71 years old, and a resident of St. Cruz, Davao del Sur. Her Japanese name is Arakaki Yoneko. She does not have full recollection about her father. What she got from her mother were bits of data that are not helpful to her case as a child of a Japanese national. She does not know the date of birth of her father. Her father is an Okinawan named Hiroshi Arakaki and allegedly was killed by the guerilla. The father was an abaca farmer. Some of her father’s Japanese friends were Watanabe, Uechi, Kamashiki and Onaga.

Melanio Austero Takumi was called to narrate what he knew about his father whom he learned to be a carpenter as an occupation and had worked in an abaca plantation. It was in the year 1939 that his parents married by way of tribal rite. The house where most of their important documents were kept was burned thus he has no concrete evidence to support his claim of being the son of a Japanese. He believed that he is a son of a Japanese.

All records related to his personal circumstances have been changed to conform to his contention of being the son of Takumi san.

The turn of Lemuel Yoshimura came. He is a retired District Supervisor of the Department of Education in Koronadal, South Cotabato. Despite his retirement he is still clamoring for recognition as this is the only legacy he could leave to the next generation and is desirous of dying as a Japanese national. His father’s name is Yoshimura Masaharu. He managed a restaurant called “Fuji Shoukadou” in Estancia, Iloilo. The marriage of his parents took place in 1938 at Antique and three children were born out of that relationship. After the war their father left for Japan, leaving behind his family. Considered fatherless after the war, they were forced to change their family name from Yoshimura to their mother’s maiden name because of the antagonistic behavior shown by Filipinos. The mother was a teacher and from her pay she was able to support her children with the help of Lemuel who sold nuts and cigarettes at the same time engaged in shoe shine task. At nine years of age, their mother passed away. The three children were adopted by different families. A brother who was single died in 1965. His other brother got married but died in 2009. Meanwhile, Lemuel followed the profession of his mother. He became a teacher and was promoted as principal and retired as District Supervisor.

Oligario Aguan Nagata came to know of his father as Nagata only. His father came to the Philippines with a brother. They worked in an abaca plantation in Calinan, Davao City. Nagata met the mother of Oligario and their marriage took place in a bagobo tribal rite. After the war the father left for Japan and Oligario would like to go with him but the mother refused to let him go.

May

2016

MOFA INTERVIEW

By Admin

Mofa Interview conducted on May 24-25, 2016 with the Hon. Consul Susumu Tsuda of the Embassy of Japan based in Manila, Mr. Tadashi Miyazaki and Miss Ikuko Okubo of the Nippon Foundation, Mr. Norihiro Inomata, Director General of PNLSC, Japan, participated in by Ms. Ines P. Mallari, Rengokai President and Ret. Judge Antonina B. Escovilla, PNJK Davao City Chapter President.