Dates/Time:    Saturday 12 June 2021, 13:00〜18:30

                       Sunday    13 June 2021, 10:00〜12:00

Meetings will take place online via Zoom for SMJ Members and people interested in migration & refugee issues.

Participation fee: is Free for SMJ Members and 1000 yen for Non-members

Registration: https://bit.ly/3wz6b1T (Payment by credit card, convenience store or pay-as-you-go)

**Please note that the above link is for non-SMJ members. If you are a member of SMJ, please register via the link sent separately by the Secretariat.

13:00 - 16:00 Open Seminar Parts 1 - 3 (Everyone can participate)

This seminar will provide an overview of current issues of migration and refugee issues and initiatives on topics of particular interest to the general public.

Part 1 What were the problems with the abolished bill to revise Immigration law? (13:00 - 13:55)

The rights of undocumented migrants, who are legally the most vulnerable, are one of the key themes for SMJ, which aims to guarantee the rights and dignity of migrants and people with migration backgrounds. This seminar will focus on the issues raised by the bill, which has just been dropped in order to further strengthen the exclusion of irregular migrants and asylum seekers who are unable to return. In this seminar, we will point out the problems of the bill from the standpoint of those who have "circumstances that prevent them from returning" and wish to stay in Japan- "Soukan Kihisya", as the authorities put it. In addition, the activities of SMJ in order to regularise the situation of those who wish to stay in Japan will be introduced.

　On the day of the session, we will also hear the voices of those concerned.

＜Report＞

Ms Yuki Maruyama (Lawyer)

Ms Eriko Suzuki (Deputy-representative of SMJ)

People seeking regularisation

Part 2 Thinking about the Covid-19 crisis: Sustainability of accepting foreign workers (14:00-14:55)

As the Covid-19 crisis continues, foreign workers and technical intern trainees have been exposed to various vulnerabilities and have been mistreated. In this seminar, we will report on some of the realities, including the voices of those workers, from the experiences of organisations participating with SMJ. In addition, we will discuss the problems and limitations of the current measures to accept foreign workers, and what is required to achieve sustainable acceptance of foreign workers.

＜Report＞

“From the struggle of Filipino workers" by Mr Keita Sakamoto (Zentouitsu Workers Union)

Foreign workers will also participate.

"Technical Intern Trainees as Seen through Consultation Activities” Ms Naomi Hayazaki (RINK: Rights of Immigrants and Refugees in Kansai)

"Sustainability of Acceptance of Foreign Workers" Mr Akira Hatate (SMJ's Steering Committee Member, Network for the Rights of Technical Intern Trainees)

Part 3: The poverty of migrants revealed by Covid-19 crisis (15:00-15:55)

The spread of the Covid-19 has had a major impact on the lives of migrants and refugees. This seminar will report on the impact of Covid-19 on migrants and refugees, drawing on the situation of two funds (the Emergency Fund for Migrants and Refugees and the Sasaeai Fund) that support people in need due to the pandemic, as well as the cases of Latin American migrants and people with provisional release status.

What emerges is the reality that migrants and refugees, who have always been in a vulnerable position in society, have been forced into a more precarious situation due to the Covid-19 crisis.

＜Report＞

“Migration in the Covid-19 crisis as seen through the support provided by the Fund" Ms Sachi Takaya (Director of SMJ)

“What did the Covid-19 crisis bring about in the work and lives of South American migrants?" Ms Mai Yamanoue (Doctoral student at Hitotsubashi University, JSPS Research Fellow)

"The Current Situation of the Kurdish People Revealed by the Covid-19 crisis" by Mr Ritsuo Nukui (Society for Understanding Kurds Japan)

16:30-18:30 Breakout sessions

These sessions will be held by SMJ’s theme-specific projects.

"Abolition of the bill to revise Immigration law- Our challenges in the future".

-       This session will be held by Nyukan・Kyouseisesaku Kaigi (SMJ member-only)

On 18 May, the government's proposed bill to revise Immigration law was effectively abolished. However, the poor refugee recognition system with a recognition rate of less than 1%, and the immigration detention system with its annual deaths from illness, suicide and debilitating deaths, remain intact. We will have speakers from civil society organizations and lawyers who have been working on these issues, and together with the participants, we will discuss "our issues" for the future.

"Issues related to the study and career paths of migrant children and youth"

-       This session will be held by Kodomo・Wakamono Project (Everyone can participate)

Kodomo・Wakamono project is working on the issues of migrant children, their schooling and career development, and multicultural coexistence including Japanese children. As a concrete result, the project has paved the way to change the status of residence of children who stay in Japan with a "dependent" visa to one that allows them to work on the condition that they have graduated from high school. In this workshop, we will review our efforts to date, look at the situation in different parts of the country, and explore the issues that can be addressed by lobbying the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and other central ministries.

10:00 - 12:00 Plenary session and group discussion (for SMJ members and those involved in immigration support)

After the reports of the previous day's breakout sessions, the reports on "Covid-19 and Migration Support" and the activities of  SMJ, participants will have a group discussion to discuss SMJ’s initiative for 2021 based on their experiences in the field.