Michael Cash wrote:
> On 6 Jul 2004 10:55:31 -0700, worthj1970@yahoo.com (John W.) brought
> down from the Mount tablets inscribed:
> 
> 
>>Ernest Schaal <eschaal@max.hi-ho.ne.jp> wrote in message news:<BD108F9D.1E469%eschaal@max.hi-ho.ne.jp>...
>>
>>>Basically, unless you are Japanese citizen, you have ZERO right to demand
>>>anything.
>>
>>Quoting from another article today:
>>http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20040706p2a00m0dm008000c.html
>>
>>"Under immigration laws, adopted children under the age of 6 are under
>>set conditions usually granted permanent residency. In other cases,
>>permanent resident status can be granted if there is a "special
>>reason." "
>>
>>So here's my question, and a point on which I'm as usual greatly
>>confused. If you are legally the child of a legal citizen, why
>>do/should you not have the same legal rights as that parent? It seems
>>odd that the government allows a child to be legally adopted, but then
>>says they have no legal right to stay with their legal parent. Right?
> 
> 
> Look, it wasn't all that long ago that under Japanese law the child of
> a Japanese father and a foreign mother received Japanese citizenship
> by birth while the child of a foreign father and a Japanese mother did
> *not*. 
> 
> And since this is Japan, "why" (read: "common sense") ain't got shit
> to do with it.
> 
I found it interesting that when I talked about this with my wife it 
didn't really get much of a reaction. She seemed to be more surprised 
that politicians were getting involved and actually doing something 
positive to help the girl.

John W.