CONTEXT
Most asylum-seekers I met and interviewed were on either Karihoumen or Designated Activities status.
METHOD
Karihoumen (Provisional Release) Renewal every two months No work permit
Permission required to travel
outs of district (e.g. Tokyo).
No residence card
Not eligible for National Health
Insurance
Designated Activities Visa
Renewal every 1 year
Work permit usually provided Residence card provided
Eligible for National Health
Insur-ance and to pay taxes
TELLING THE STORY OF
UGANDAN ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN TOKYO
Stage 1:
Interviews to highlight areas of focus deemed important by the asylum-seekers themselves.
Immigration/Detention Centre Work (illegal work)
Restricted travel
METHOD
TELLING THE STORY OF
UGANDAN ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN TOKYO
Stage 1:
Interviews to highlight areas of focus deemed important by the asylum-seekers themselves.
Immigration/Detention Centre Work (illegal work)
Restricted travel
TELLING THE STORY OF
UGANDAN ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN TOKYO
ATTITUDES TO IMMIGRATION
Amongst the three main subjects of my filming, I observed three very different attitudes towards the Japanese
Immigration system. Each went to the immigration centre with different mindsets and behaviours. All three subjects have spent 13+ years in Japan and are currently on Karihoumen status
FINDINGS
By Leo Nelki Gopfert, BA English Literature 150068624, [email protected] Supervisor: Dr Tina Gharavi
Karihoumen (Provisional Release)
Renewal every two months No work permit
Permission required to travel
outs of district (e.g. Tokyo).
No residence card
Not eligible for National Health
Insurance
Designated Activities Visa
Renewal every 1 year
Work permit usually provided Residence card provided
Eligible for National Health
Insur-ance and to pay taxes
Detention Centre
Those on Karihoumen status can be detained at any time, often at the end of a legal appeal process following rejection of their asylum claim. Periods of detention are unknown, causing detainees great distress. I heard of people spending upwards of 5 years inside the detention centre, although the more common range was 6 months to 1 year. To get out of the deten-tion centre, there is an applicadeten-tion and a fee, or voluntary repatriadeten-tion.
Stage 1:
Interviews to highlight areas of focus deemed important by the asylum-seekers themselves.
Immigration/Detention Centre Work (illegal work)
Restricted travel
Immigration officer ‘raids’
Stage 3:
Encouraging reflection and
self-representation by shooting a scripted scene. Subjects were asked what scene based on their lives they would like to show. We shot scenes of immigration ‘raids’ and of shoplifting to survive.
Stage 1:
Interviews to highlight areas of focus deemed important by the asylum-seekers themselves.
Immigration/Detention Centre Work (illegal work)
Restricted travel
Immigration officer ‘raids’
Stage 2:
Filming on location at sites of importance::
Workplace
Ugandan parties
Volunteer cleaning at temple Immigration Centre
Home
Stage 3:
Encouraging reflection and
self-representation by shooting a scripted scene. Subjects were asked what scene based on their lives they would like to show. We shot scenes of immigration ‘raids’ and of shoplifting to survive.
Stage 2:
Filming on location at sites of importance::
Workplace
Ugandan parties
Volunteer cleaning at temple Immigration Centre
Home
ATTITUDES TO IMMIGRATION
Amongst the three main subjects of my filming, I observed three very different attitudes towards the Japanese
Immigration system. Each went to the immigration centre with different mindsets and behaviours. All three subjects have spent 13+ years in Japan and are currently on Karihoumen status
1. Relax
There is very little you can do. If they want to
de-tain you, they can. Don’t worry about things be-yond control.
Trick them to make process easier. E.g. pretending
not to understand questions during interview.
Immigration officers are stupid cogs in a powerful
system.
2. Confront
Late to immigration centre, saying ‘if I’m not
work-ing how can I pay transport?’
Show fearlessness. Ask to be arrested. Say that you
want to be detained for free food.
Immigration officers are cruel enemy oppressor.
Stage 3:
Encouraging reflection and
self-representation by shooting a scripted scene. Subjects were asked what scene based on their lives they would like to show. We shot scenes of immigration ‘raids’ and of shoplifting to survive.
ETHICAL RESTRICTIONS
Much of the on-location and interview footage I took is impossible to publish since it contains evidence or reference to illegal acts, including: illegal work, unauthorised travel out of Tokyo, admissions of lying to immigration and more. Whilst these are all important aspects of the asylum-seeker experience that I witnessed in Tokyo, and despite permission from some individuals to show them working, it is not a risk I am willing to take. In order to tell the story authentically and compellingly it becomes ethically impossible to include certain areas of interest.
Stage 3:
Encouraging reflection and
self-representation by shooting a scripted scene. Subjects were asked what scene based on their lives they would like to show. We shot scenes of immigration ‘raids’ and of shoplifting to survive.
2. Confront
Late to immigration centre, saying ‘if I’m not
work-ing how can I pay transport?’
Show fearlessness. Ask to be arrested. Say that you
want to be detained for free food.
Immigration officers are cruel enemy oppressor.
3. Co-operate
Give the benefit of the doubt. Understand the
viewpoint of the Japanese and their system.
Argue case for wider range of valid refugee claims
(i.e. generalised violence, indirect threats)
Immigration officers are misinformed.