The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Tokyo has
launched a website aimed at promoting the welfare and human rights
of Japanese-Filipino children.

The website "http://www.jfcmultisectoralnetworkingproject.org/" target="_blank"
title="">http://www.jfcmultisectoralnetworkingproject.org/ is
an offshoot of the Toyota Foundation funded "Japanese-Filipino
Children Multisectoral Networking Project", which sought to
strengthen support networks of groups assisting Japanese-Filipino
children, and allowed a small number of qualified Japanese-Filipino
children to migrate to Japan.

There are an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 children born to
Japanese fathers and Filipino mothers around the years of rapid
economic growth in Japan in the 1980s and up to the present.
Reports from organizations assisting these children say many find
themselves without access to formal support in either Japan or the
Philippines.

Consultations with Japanese-Filipino children and their mothers
show that they struggle with acquiring legal and parental
recognition, Japanese citizenship, and also face issues related to
nationality, among others. In recent years, organizations have
noted disturbing reports of Japanese-Filipino children in the
Philippines being trafficked to Japan.

The website is both in English and Japanese, and hopes to serve
as an important platform for exchanging accurate and updated
information. It also seeks to raise public awareness on issues
affecting Japanese-Filipino Children.

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Naoko Hashimoto

IOM Tokyo

"http://www.iomjapan.org/" target="_blank" title=
"">http://www.iomjapan.org/

"http://www.iom.int/jahia/jsp/index.jsp" target="_blank" title=
"">http://www.iom.int

Tel: +81 3 3595 2487

Fax: +81 3 3595 2497

E-mail: "mailto:nhashimoto@iom.int">nhashimoto@iom.int