Japanese-fathered Philippine trio get nationality

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The Tokyo Family Court has granted Japanese nationality to three siblings who were born to a Japanese emigrant and a Filipino woman before World War II and were raised in the Philippines, their support group has said.

Granted citizenship were Tsukiko Kamiyama, 85, her sister, Satsuko, 79, and their brother, Shigeru, 82, the group Philippine Nikkeijin Legal Support Center said.



With the decision, the number of Japanese in the Philippines who were granted Japanese nationality on similar grounds now stands at seven, the Tokyo-based nonprofit organization said. It said about 60 more people have filed for Japanese nationality at the Tokyo Family Court.

In a decision dated Tuesday, the family court found that the three were fathered by Kosuke Kamiyama, a native of Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, who emigrated to the Philippines around 1904 and married a Filipino women.

Kamiyama died around 1930. Despite the absence of Kamiyama's family registry, which was lost due to the war, the court concluded Kamiyama was the father of the three, based on various evidence. The support center said there are more than 800 people who are children of Japanese nationals who emigrated to the Philippines between the late 19th century and 1945, but who do not have documents.

Japanese-fathered Philippine trio get nationality | The Japan Times Online