Girl told to choose between country or parents

Schoolgirl told to choose: Country or Parents

Noriko Calderon has spent her whole life in Japan with her parents. She is now thirteen and has big dreams to someday become a dancer or a teacher in a dance studio. In order to fulfill these dreams she will have to say goodbye to her parents Arlan and Sarah Calderon. Arlan and Sarah illegally entered Japan in the 1990s. They ended up getting married and having a daughter, Noriko. In 2006 Japanese immigration authorities arrested Sarah Calderon. For three years Arlan and Sarah fought the Japanese immigration laws hoping to win and stay in Japan where their daughter would have a better life. They lost their fight and Noriko was told to choose between the country where she has lived her whole life, with better opportunities or her parents. Arlan and Sarah told Noriko that they would like her to stay in Japan because she has more opportunities and will be better off. Noriko will be staying with her aunt who was granted a visa that will be renewed every year. By Japanese law, the Calderon’s are not allowed back in Japan for five years. The Calderon’s have asked for a special waiver that will allow them to see their daughter after a year but nothing has been granted yet. Shogo Watanabe is the Calderon’s attorney who collected more than 20,000 signatures to try and keep the family together in Japan. Watanabe believes that this girl should be able to stay with her parents in Japan. The day that the Calderon’s say goodbye could be the last time that they see each other until Noriko’s eighteenth birthday.

I think that this story is so sad. For a child to choose between being with her parents that have taken care of her since the day she was born and staying the country where she has so many benefits and such a better life is horrible. My question is where are her parents being shipped away to that the life for there daughter is so much worse then it is in Japan? I really hope that they are able to see there daughter after 1 year and not having to wait until she turns 18. They will miss so much of her life if they have to stay away from her that long and if they want to be in there daughter's life they should be able to.

This is an unfortunate situation for this young girl to be in. I couldn’t imagine being 13 and having to make a decision between a better future and her parents. I think who ever decided that she should decide rather it being the government or a judge; I think it is very unfair. Also who at the age of 13 can really comprehend a situation like that to make a right decision on that note what is the right decision? I really hope that she is able to stay in her country with her parents. I don’t think that it was right moving to a country that you weren’t a citizen in but now that there is a child involved it is a little more of a complicated situation.