Osaka woman, 24, finally granted residence certificate

Saturday 12th July, 03:08 AM JST

OSAKA —

A 24-year-old woman, who had lacked a residence registration because of her mother’s marital status, received her residence certificate at an Osaka municipality Friday. The woman had gone unregistered because she was born as a result of a relationship between her mother and a new partner before the mother’s divorce from her ex-husband had become official.

The move came after the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications issued a notice Monday to local authorities that it will grant certificates of residence to unregistered people like the Osaka woman if they meet requirements such as proof of Japanese nationality. The woman’s mother fled her former home because her ex-husband turned violent against her. The estranged wife gave birth to the Osaka woman, who was fathered by another man.

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10 Comments

Pukey2 at 08:56 AM JST - 12th July

Finally she gets to feel better off than an illegal immigrant.
browny1 at 03:36 PM JST - 12th July

Finally a decision worthy of eligibility to enter the REAL world - albeit decades late.

I hope the 1,000's of others suffering under such archaic restrictions can soon receive satisfaction and relief from the constraints of feudalism.
kimigano at 03:40 PM JST - 12th July

This is wrong. Why can they just skirt the law?
romulus3 at 07:04 PM JST - 12th July

her mother should have known better than to have unprotected sex right after a divorce.
browny1 at 07:07 PM JST - 12th July

Kimigano - who are they and what are they skirting - please explain???

Romulus3 - well golly - generations are damned for the oh so great mishap of one woman????

Sounds like the Spanish Inquistion rule of thumb to me except it's 2008 and not the 15th century.
romulus3 at 11:39 PM JST - 12th July

browny1,

she knew the law
minkaboo at 05:47 AM JST - 13th July

The law is punishing people who give birth out of wedlock - in this case, before the divorce is finalized. How ridiculous!
browny1 at 09:33 AM JST - 13th July

romulus - does her child know the law?

Any law which impacts so negatively on innocent children deserves contempt and challenge in order to change it. That is what differentiates a democracy from a geritocracy/autocracy. Such a law drawn up by misogynistic cronies of times long past which would condemn childrens, childrens, childrens.......to eternal misery reflects truly on the nature of the society whuch upholds such anachronisms.

And any suggestion of trying to change a law here by growing through the process of appeal to the living dead is futile.

If this country wants to stand proud as a leading proponent for a better world for all in which to live, it'd better start treating it's citizens with more respect and fairness, because so many draconian violations of human rights imposed on the people of Japan, just makes the country (govt)a mockery to behold.
buddha4brains at 09:45 AM JST - 13th July

romulus you are one funny guy - thanks for the laugh.

So you think the state has the right to intrude on the private lives of its citizens? And the reason? You do not approve of what an adult did and when (or just the the outcome of what she did and when).

Do you look down on this woman because she is Japanese or do you condescend to all women? Fact is a child was born and the state has the obligation to recognize the birth. It is not a question of agreeing or disagreeing with the actions of the mother. Allowing undocumented children to exist in a society where documentation is basic to being a member of society is a human rights abuse - whether it is in Japan or any other country.
timorborder at 11:34 AM JST - 13th July

Welcome to pergutory...