Illustrative image When certain hurdles to obtaining Japanese nationality were reduced for children born to mixed couples in 2008, a growing number of women decided to take kids they had had with Japanese men to begin a new life in the country. Typically these were Filipino families with now-absent Japanese fathers. However, this has given rise to an increasing number of brokers seeking to profit from women seeking a better life for their children. For many it turns into nothing more than a nightmare. “I later found out that no legal action was necessary for my daughter to become Japanese,” said a 30-year-old Filipina who lives in Osaka with her nine-year-old. The two came to Japan in 2014 on a short stay visa, on the advice of a broker full of stories of how much happier life would be if the child got Japanese citizenship. As soon as their plane touched down in Chubu Airport,...
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