Although House leaders urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to lobby for a 2-year moratorium, Japan is still pushing for its new, stricter immigration policy.

The stricter migration policy starts early next year and may affect some 80,000 Filipino performing artists in Japan. 

Shuhei Ogawa, spokesman for the Japanese Embassy in Manila, said the “action plan package” of his government does not discriminate against Filipino entertainers but is designed to curb human trafficking.

What is the new immigration policy?

The new immigration policy aims to limit entry to professional artists with at least a 2-year degree course in any school for dance or music or any related course in performing arts so as to prevent the entry of “hostesses.”

It means Japan will no longer recognize the Artists Accreditation Card (AAC), the single most important document that overseas performing artists must posses to be able to work in Japan.

Reconsideration?

Foreign affairs undersecretary for migrant affairs Chito Brillantes will meet with his Japanese counterpart to propose measures aimed at mitigating the effect of the new Japanese immigration policy.

“We are looking at a possible 5-year moratorium or transition period to prepare our Filipino entertainers and improve our own national accreditation system,” said Brillantes.

But Ogawa said in an interview, “I don’t see any reason for our government to wait for five years to start acting on the package plan which aims to protect the victims of human trafficking and decrease the number of illegal workers in Japan.”

Various groups of Filipino entertainers protested the new policy, noting that it would disfranchise 70,000 Japan-bound Filipino entertainers who leave for Japan annually.

Ogawa said, however, since the new policy “does not affect any of the real Filipino entertainers, there is nothing to be afraid of for the real singers and dancers.”

Japan gave the Philippines until December 27 to submit its note verbale on the new immigration policy.

Move for a Compromise Agreement

At the House, Lakas Reps. Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte and Prospero Nograles of Davao City and Party-list Rep. Florencio Gabriel Noel of An Waray called on Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo to hammer out a compromise agreement with Tokyo.

Barbers said: “We have to hurry because time is not on our side. We have to protect these performers as their dislocation will also mean a big loss to the government, considering that Filipino artists in Japan bring in $1 billion in direct remittance to the country annually.”

Majority leader Nograles said: “The government should vigorously pursue the issue with Japanese authorities since this new policy would adversely affect us” and sought a congressional inquiry to allow the legislature to formulate contingency plans.

He added the resulting dislocations may lead to political restiveness. “There would be relentless pressure for the government to create job opportunities and other safety nets for the unemployed” that also could lead to higher social costs “such as juvenile delinquency, crime, drug addiction, prostitution and political opposition to the government.”

Noel called on the government to reflect on the new policy’s effect on some 500,000 Filipino families heavily dependent on their members’ jobs in Japan.

“It is important that we secure with the Japanese authorities an agreement that would give us a two-year reprieve. The impact to the economy would be severe,” said Noel.

With J. Cadacio