NAHA - People who were separated from their Japanese fathers during the Pacific War and subsequently lived without citizenship in the Philippines have arrived in Japan to gather information about their families, as they seek to restore their Japanese nationality.
Samuel Akahiji, an 81-year-old second-generation Filipino of Japanese descent, and others were welcomed on Thursday by about ten people claiming to be relatives in Okinawa, their father's birthplace.
Under the pre-war nationality law, children whose fathers were Japanese nationals also became Japanese nationals.
Due to the death of fathers in the war or forced repatriation, many of these second-generation individuals became stateless.
They will remain in the country until Dec 19, collecting evidence such as family testimony and family trees to regain their nationality.
Source: ANNnewsCH
