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フジモリ大統領と二重国籍
フジモリ大統領と二重国籍
10年間、ペルー大統領として権力を振るった
フジモリ氏は、ペルー国籍とともに日本国籍も
持っていた。在外日本人にとって、その事実は、
二重国籍について深く知り、権利を主張する
絶好の機会となったのではないだろうか。
Fujimori and the Debate On Dual-Nationality
By TONY LASZLO
Among the Japanese nationals living abroad, there are a fair number of people who are hoping
the Japanese government will change its stance regarding dual-nationalities. In short, they want
to be able to naturalize in their country of residence and yet still remain Japanese, in the
legal sense of the word. Such a thing is not permissible under contemporary Japanese policies
and the government has not been overly receptive to the idea, to say the least.
Why would anyone want two — or more — nationalities? It is mostly a question of convenience —
or a lack thereof — according to dual-nationality proponents. Having lived in a country for 10
or 20 years, these people are tempted to take the naturalization plunge in order to increase
their opportunities in the host society, to obtain the right to participate in various
political processes and to enjoy increased freedom of movement, among other reasons.
At the same time, they wish to retain their Japanese nationality so that their children can
have the option of becoming Japanese, themselves. Furthermore, many of these overseas Japanese
view their Japanese nationality as being directly linked to their cultural identity, something
that they loathe to relinquish or alter.
Many of these people live in countries that allow dual-nationality; for them, Japanese policy
is the only stumbling block. Naturally, the fact that their neighbors and friends who have
emigrated from countries with more liberal policies often already enjoy dual-nationality makes
the prize that much more enticing.
While the question of dual-nationalities has been at best a fringe debate in Japan, it is
receiving more attention of late, thanks to a startling and internationally famous case,
namely that of Alberto Fujimori, a.k.a. Fujimori Kenya, the Peruvian-born man of Japanese
ancestry who had served as president of Peru until his flight to Japan in November of last year.
In confirming that Fujimori in fact is both Japanese and a foreign national — as are all people
who have not renounced their Japanese nationality, have a foreign nationality and who were over
the age of 22 in 1984 when Japanese law was revised — the Japanese government not only made it
possible for him to evade Peruvian extradition attempts, it also recognized a Japanese
national's dual-nationality in a very public way.
While Fujimori's retention of his Japanese nationality came as a major shock to Peruvians,
they would also be quite surprised to know that a good number of Japanese living abroad applaud
his move, if not through a desire to provide refuge to an ethnic brother in need, then
through gratitude for the opportunity to plead that they too should be allowed the right to be
both Japanese and foreign, simultaneously.
The Japanese government, for its part, should not fail to take this opportunity to promote
debate on the question of dual-nationality. I suspect the Japanese public presently supports the
concept only in the specific way in which it applies to the high-profile Fujimori case.
However, if they are better informed about the issue and think about it logically, most in
favor of Fujimori's actions should come to realize that it is only natural to extend similar
privileges to all people who can potentially claim dual-nationality, not just to the
ex-president of Peru.
Among the Japanese nationals living abroad, there are a fair number of people who are hoping
the Japanese government will change its stance regarding dual-nationalities. In short, they want
to be able to naturalize in their country of residence and yet still remain Japanese, in the
legal sense of the word. Such a thing is not permissible under contemporary Japanese policies
and the government has not been overly receptive to the idea, to say the least.
Why would anyone want two — or more — nationalities? It is mostly a question of convenience —
or a lack thereof — according to dual-nationality proponents. Having lived in a country for 10
or 20 years, these people are tempted to take the naturalization plunge in order to increase
their opportunities in the host society, to obtain the right to participate in various
political processes and to enjoy increased freedom of movement, among other reasons.
At the same time, they wish to retain their Japanese nationality so that their children can
have the option of becoming Japanese, themselves. Furthermore, many of these overseas Japanese
view their Japanese nationality as being directly linked to their cultural identity, something
that they loathe to relinquish or alter.
Many of these people live in countries that allow dual-nationality; for them, Japanese policy
is the only stumbling block. Naturally, the fact that their neighbors and friends who have
emigrated from countries with more liberal policies often already enjoy dual-nationality makes
the prize that much more enticing.
While the question of dual-nationalities has been at best a fringe debate in Japan, it is
receiving more attention of late, thanks to a startling and internationally famous case,
namely that of Alberto Fujimori, a.k.a. Fujimori Kenya, the Peruvian-born man of Japanese
ancestry who had served as president of Peru until his flight to Japan in November of last year.
In confirming that Fujimori in fact is both Japanese and a foreign national — as are all people
who have not renounced their Japanese nationality, have a foreign nationality and who were over
the age of 22 in 1984 when Japanese law was revised — the Japanese government not only made it
possible for him to evade Peruvian extradition attempts, it also recognized a Japanese
national's dual-nationality in a very public way.
While Fujimori's retention of his Japanese nationality came as a major shock to Peruvians,
they would also be quite surprised to know that a good number of Japanese living abroad applaud
his move, if not through a desire to provide refuge to an ethnic brother in need, then
through gratitude for the opportunity to plead that they too should be allowed the right to be
both Japanese and foreign, simultaneously.
The Japanese government, for its part, should not fail to take this opportunity to promote
debate on the question of dual-nationality. I suspect the Japanese public presently supports the
concept only in the specific way in which it applies to the high-profile Fujimori case.
However, if they are better informed about the issue and think about it logically, most in
favor of Fujimori's actions should come to realize that it is only natural to extend similar
privileges to all people who can potentially claim dual-nationality, not just to the
ex-president of Peru.
Shukan ST: Jan. 12, 2001
(C) All rights reserved
- dual-nationality
- 二重国籍
- Japanese nationals living abroad
- 在外日本人
- a fair number of 〜
- かなり多くの 〜
- stance
- 姿勢
- naturalize
- 帰化する
- country of residence
- 居住国
- in the legal sense of the word
- 法的な意味で
- is not permissible
- 許されていない
- contemporary
- 今の
- has not been overly receptive to the idea
- その考え(二重国籍を許可すること)を受け入れる姿勢があるとはとても言えない
- to say the least
- 控え目に言っても
- or a lack thereof
- それ(便利さ)が欠けていること
- proponents
- 支持者
- are tempted to 〜
- 〜 したくなる
- take 〜 plunge
- 思い切って 〜 する
- host society
- 受け入れ国の社会
- participatein various political processes
- (選挙などの)さまざまな政治的活動に参加する
- increased freedom of movement
- 移動がもっと自由になること(出入国など)
- retain
- 手放さずにいる
- being directly linked to 〜
- 直接 〜 とつながっている
- loathe to relinquish or alter
- 放棄したり変えたりするのは嫌がる
- stumbling block
- 障害
- the fact that 〜 often already enjoy 〜 makes the prize that much more enticing
- しばしば 〜 がすでに 〜 を得ているという事実が、その貴重なもの(二重国籍)をより魅力的に見せている
- have emigrated from 〜
- 〜 から移住してきた
- at best
- せいぜい
- fringe debate
- 瑣末(さまつ)な話題
- of late
- 最近
- startling
- 驚くべき
- a.k.a.
- (also known as)別名
- ancestry
- 家系(両親が日本人であること)
- have not renounced
- 放棄していない
- was revised
- 改訂された
- evade
- 逃れる
- extradition attempts
- 引き渡しの試み
- recognized
- 認めた
- in a very public way
- 公然と
- retention
- 持ち続けていること
- applaud his move
- 彼の行動を称賛する
- if not through 〜 then through 〜
- 〜 から、とまでは言わなくても、 〜 から
- provide refuge to 〜
- 〜 を受け入れる
- ethnic brother in need
- 困っている、同民族の仲間
- gratitude
- 感謝の気持ち
- plead
- 主張する
- simultaneously
- 同時に
- 〜 for its part
- 〜 としては
- applies to 〜
- 〜 に当てはまる
- high-profile
- 話題になった
- are better informed about 〜
- 〜 についてよりよく知らされている
- logically
- 論理的に
- most in favor of 〜
- 〜 に賛成している人々
- extend similar privileges to 〜
- 同じような権利を 〜 にも与える
- ex- 〜
- 前 〜
-