Kawasaki City Representative Assembly for Foreign Residents
FY2001 Special Meeting
Summary of Open Meeting
An opportunity for any foreign citizen to express their problems to the Representative Assembly to consider in subsequent meetings
Self-publicity of Kawasaki City Representative Assembly for Foreign Residents and to facilitate the recruitment of next-term members
As a result of widely informing foreigners to participate, become a place for Japanese Citizens and Foreign Citizens to meet and exchange ideas
December 09 14:00 - 17:00 at Takatsu Citizen's Hall
Opening Message from Representative Assembly (Chairman Mr. Nakamura)
Greeting from Director of Citizen's Affair Bureau of Kawasaki City
Introduction of honored guests
Introduction of members of Representative Assembly
Exchanging Opinions (section meetings)
< Children's Education Section >
Need to establish systems for volunteer teachers for children's native language education by setting up an information counter in the city government and creating a volunteer network.
It is very difficult for children to learn both Japanese and their native languages. For instance, at-home native language education has been inadepuate among recent young returnees, leaving them fluent in neither Japanese nor English.
More specific things could be accomplished if the teacher in charge of international understanding at each school could meet and discuss the issues with us in this kind of setting.
Native language classes are offered, but it's difficult to obtain textbooks. Isn't this something the city could discuss with foreign embassies?
The problem with sending out Japanese language tutors is that four hours a week is not nearly enough. Another problem is that the teachers do not understand the foreign children who habe been left behind. I'd like to see the Board of Education provide training for teachers.
Some children habe foreign friends in their class, but they don't know what to say to them. Real exchange isn't easy.
If the Representative Assembly were to create a venue where the voices of elementary and junior high school students could be heard, perhaps we could better understand things from our children's perspectives.
< Healthcare Section >
Neither companies nor foreign workers like having to pay their part of the worker's health insurance premiums. The rate of subscription to public health insurance among foreign residents is low.
We must create a way for people who are residing in Japan for less than one year or for people who do not have residency status to subscribe to health insurance. There needs to be a safety net for the uninsured.
Mother-child insurance for covering children's vaccinations and other expenses should be available regardless of resindency status, but that is not the case.
The Long-Term Care Health Insurance system needs to train helpers who understand foreign languages and the cultural backgrounds of those who are using the system.
Ensuring a guarantor for an unmarried foreign person who is being admitted to a hospital or undergoing surgery cannot be done by an individual volunteer. A system should be create at the city level.
< Housing Section >
Multilingual assistance is available for those moving into a new residence, but it seems like a wall goes up when it comes to counseling regarding guarantor problems or financial hardship.
Many times I habe seen a real estate agent call up a property owner right there in front of me and ask, "So you would probably have a hard time accepting foreign tenants, right?"
The information in "for rent" notices for municipal and prefectural housing is difficult to understand. Could this information be made available in different languages?
The security deposit and "key money" systems are difficult to figure out. Rents nad housing costs in Japan are expensive.
< Labor Section >
Having a job is a basic human right. Laws that penalize discriminatory behavior need to be enacted.
The stipulation that foreign nationals employed by Kawasaki City can only work in 182 designated positions should be repealed.
Even though I can speak Japanese, I have been told - without even an interview - that "there are no jobs available" simply because I am a foreigner.
Japanese skills are necessary for finding work, but the literacy classes offered at the Civic Hall focus on conversational Japanese rather than japanese for the workplace.
< Visa Section >
What immigration officials say differs depending on which official you talk to and they don't always know the proper information. They treat you very coldly if you don't speak Japanese.
Both the immigration office and city office are only open until 5:00 p.m., making it very difficult to get there if you work normal business hours. At the very least, they should be open during lunch hour.
Some of my relatives who are planning to visit Japan applied for a tourist visa, and since they were coming to visit me, they were asked even about my work and tax status.
Even some people who have tourist visas are asked, depending on their country or region of origin, whether they are coming to Japan in order to work illegally. Some have even been sent back home from Narita without ever being allowed into Japan.
December 09 14:00 - 17:00 at Takatsu Citizen's Hall