【Japan unboxed】Immigrants: Children in Japan Fear Deportation: Mainichi Report Highlights Family Separation Risks

2025.12.20 Japan Unboxed

📍 “I Want to Stay in Japan” — Children Living in Fear of Parents’ Deportation

Not face showing but two peole are hlding eaother umder fear
According to a report published by Mainichi Shimbun on November 1, a growing number of foreign children in Japan are living with deep anxiety as their parents face forced deportation. Many of these children, who have grown up immersed in Japanese society, now find their futures uncertain.

📌 Background and Current Situation

The feature highlights an 18-year-old Kurdish high school student who was asked whether he would return to Turkey after his parents were deported. Although he says he truly wants to stay in Japan, the fear of being separated from his family weighs heavily on him.

The student came to Japan about 11 years ago with his family to live near his grandparents. Since then, Japan has been the center of his upbringing, friendships, and education—yet his residency situation remains fragile.

🔍 Systemic Challenges

The issue is rooted in the Immigration Services Agency’s tightened enforcement under its “zero illegal stay” policy. In several cases, parents have been deported while their children remain in Japan, raising concerns about the forced separation of families.

Support groups and advocates argue that current policies fail to protect children who have spent most of their lives in Japan. They stress the urgent need for a system that safeguards minors from the trauma of sudden deportation.

💡 Why This Matters

For these young residents, the issue is more than a legal technicality—it directly threatens their daily lives and their sense of belonging. The situation highlights a broader human rights challenge for Japan as it confronts the realities of a diversifying society.

Activists and community members continue to call for reforms, hoping to create a safer and more stable future for children with foreign roots who consider Japan their home.

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