Message of the Commission

For The 90th World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2004

Another World is Possible

The Japanese Catholic Church in its determination to “live together with” migrants, refugees and people on the move, calls for the fourth Sunday of September, which has been designated as World Day of Migrants, Refugees, and People on the Move, to be a day for praying together and offering donations. I offer my heartfelt thanks to all who have offered prayers and donations every year.
This year the theme for World Day of Migrants, Refugees and People on the Move is Another World is Possible. (1). Since the situation that migrants, refugees and people on move are confronted with in Japan is very harsh, I would like to share one example of that world with you. Then I would like to introduce Another World. What I specifically want to do through this message is to clearly explain the world that we aiming to build.
■　”The World of Management and Exclusion”
It was reported in May of this year that there was a big problem at the Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq because the American military was engaged in the torture and abuse of prisoners. However, it should be known that this kind of violation of human rights does not just happen with those under the care of the American military. It is also necessary that we know, that it is a fact that this kind of treatment also occurs within Japan, with those under the care of the Japanese Government.
At the Eastern Japan Immigration Management Center, which is in Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture, an incident occurred in which a Pakistani man, Mr. A, after receiving damage to his cervical vertebra due to a violent assault from a guard, was suddenly on a certain day in June, forcibly deported and repatriated to his own country. This happened just at the moment when he was about to attempt to make the truth known by bringing a suit for his injuries to court. Even the right to receive a judgment in court, was taken away from him by the Immigration Management Bureau, which is the very party responsible for his injuries. Furthermore, he was forcibly repatriated while leaving his Japanese wife and daughter behind in Japan. In this case, we can clearly see the meaning of a doubling or even tripling of human rights violations, and we cannot avoid having to say that this is even worse than Abu Ghraib!
The Immigration Management Bureau has utilized the Internet to create an information gathering system in order to expel overstaying foreigners. In Tokyo, the Capitol’s Governor is at the center of an effort to fan the flames of agitation for anti-foreign “exclusionism,” so that as “management” and “judiciary” become one and the same, then the sweeping hunt through the countryside for overstaying foreigners very calmly enters into the very doorways and inner courts of our churches. The sensational reporting by the mass media about the so-called increase in crimes committed by foreigners helps to promote this exclusionism. Now in Japan, for fear of being considered unpatriotic, anti-foreign “exclusionism” and “human rights violations,” go completely unchallenged, having become a seemingly normal part of our world.
■ “Another World”
Japan is a multicultural symbiotic society where people who have various cultures live side by side with one another (2). Respective peoples speak various languages, have different religions or cultural traditions, as well as have unique identities etc. The Church leads by walking at the forefront of this effort. The gathering of all around the one Table of Christ brings abundant blessings to our community.
The Pope in this year’s message for World Day of Migrants, Refugees and People on the Move has stated that, “the world of immigrants can make a valid contribution to the consolidation of peace.・・・The enriching dialogue between cultures is, ‘the obligatory path to the building of a reconciled world.’”
In Another World that we envision, violence, management, exclusion, human rights violations, and nationalism will not go unchallenged and become a seemingly normal part of society, but rather, “a society where the human rights of children are respected,” “a society that makes it possible to enjoy multi-cultures,” and “a society without management or discrimination,” will be considered normal. If in homes and in churches people rejoice and celebrate together, if they become a community that gathers around the Table Of Christ, if they overcome the barriers of language and of religion, if they keep deepening their conversation with migrants, refugees and people on the move, then the World of Management and Exclusion will be transfigured into this vision of Another World.

September 26, 2004
Catholic Commission for Migrants, Refugees and People on the Move of Japan
Chairperson: Tani Daiji (Bishop of Saitama Diocese)

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1 This theme was chosen to counter the market place priorities of economic globalism, and under the title of, “Let’s Make a Just World Order,” was used last year at a forum held in India.
2 According to the 2002 End of the Year Data provided by the Ministry of Justice, Immigration Bureau, the registered foreigners in Japan are: Korean 630,000; Chinese 420,000; Brazilians 270,000; Filipino 170,000; Peruvians 50,000; etc.; the number of foreigners makes up 1.7% of the total population of Japan. In the future this number is expected to increase.