Abandon Ship! Foreigners Bail.

[Bucky]

TOKYO: An immigration official says more than 161,000 foreigners have left Japan since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that triggered an unfolding nuclear crisis .

Taichi Iseki, an immigration official at Japan's major airport, Narita, said Friday the number of foreigners flying out from March 11 to March 22 totaled 161,300 _ an eightfold increase from about 20,000 in the same period last year.

The quake and giant tsunami decimated much of northeast Japan, while the crisis at a nuclear power plant in Fukushima, one of the quake-hit areas, triggered a massive exodus of foreigners.

The number of foreigners arriving at Narita from March 11 to 22 plunged 60 percent year-on-year to 33,400

From here

[GomiGirl]

Hence the terms:

Flyjin
(or the more polite Flykokujin as I saw tweeted recently)

as well as my personal fave,
Byejin

But I think lots of people left due to pressure from family/friends overseas or because their companies gave them a free trip home.

There are a few horror stories around of managers abandoning staff or not taking care of their helpers when they bolted.

Some are starting to come back now though.

[Mulboyne]

There are quite a few people who have sent their families away while staying on to work. That also includes Japanese who have gone west. It will be interesting to see where and when the reunions take place.

The Sankei had a strange story suggesting foreign single mothers had left their children behind. The picture they drew was of Asian women who had married Japanese men. As soon as they had children, the women sued for divorce and used their status as mothers to stay in Japan independently. By suggesting that these mothers were abandoning their kids, the Sankei clearly wants to suggest there is a horde of visa-hungry, selfish Asian women out there. Reading the article more closely, the Sankei admits that they only have a couple of hearsay cases like that.

It did occur to me that Japanese Immigration might be prepared to look more leniently on permanent residency applications over the next year or so if foreigners don't return.

[blacknois]

Believing the post dated and politically filtered "facts" being fed to the public is pure stupidity. It seems that the average government press release is only 24-48 hours behind the media. So while you are sitting at your favorite sake bar sipping this I have fled Japan and the Iodine and Cesium tainted water and food while you are ingesting enough radioactive cabbage and water to ensure that you or your children shall never reproduce again.
Let me also state this. Politicians reign supreme for 1-10 years but radiation prefers to rear its head instantly or 20 years down the road. Tell me, who will pay the price in 2030 when you and your children have bone, brain and thyroid cancer? Will it be the politicians of the past or the health and finances of your children?

[canman]

Yikes! Someone is a little touchy this morning, aren't they. I don't think this thread or anybody has impugned anyone who has left, so there is no need to get defensive.
I think the one point for many of us who have stayed, is that our lives are here, family work, friends, and the idea of just pulling up and heading back to whichever countries we came from makes no sense what so ever. What would we do, where would we live, how about our families.
I can understand single ALT teachers who have been here a few months, with no ties to Japan, and their parents screaming at them to come home, but that is not who most of the members on this board are.
So,yes, maybe we are a little bit more at risk, but that is the chance we will take, to stick it out and make the best of a bad situation. I know I'm staying!

[Yokohammer]

... I have fled Japan and the Iodine and Cesium tainted water and food while you are ingesting enough radioactive cabbage and water to ensure that you or your children shall never reproduce again ... Tell me, who will pay the price in 2030 when you and your children have bone, brain and thyroid cancer?

Gee, thanks for the support.
If you've already buggered off and are happy with your decision, why turn around and say something like this?
Just enjoy your new life and keep it to yourself.

[Jack]

Believing the post dated and politically filtered "facts" being fed to the public is pure stupidity. It seems that the average government press release is only 24-48 hours behind the media. So while you are sitting at your favorite sake bar sipping this I have fled Japan and the Iodine and Cesium tainted water and food while you are ingesting enough radioactive cabbage and water to ensure that you or your children shall never reproduce again.
Let me also state this. Politicians reign supreme for 1-10 years but radiation prefers to rear its head instantly or 20 years down the road. Tell me, who will pay the price in 2030 when you and your children have bone, brain and thyroid cancer? Will it be the politicians of the past or the health and finances of your children?

I think you have drank a little too much of the CNN Koolaid my friend.

Enjoy where you are and please don't make us wish that you get hit by a truck on your way to your comfy home.

[wagyl]

It did occur to me that Japanese Immigration might be prepared to look more leniently on permanent residency applications over the next year or so if foreigners don't return.

I doubt that it is the PR holders who are leaving. It might make the proportion of PR holders to other statuses too high for Immigration. I doubt we can second guess their decisions.

[CrankyBastard]

Hey, blacknois, have a cigarette. It'll calm you down!

[Coligny]

1 words:
Kick-ass-sayonara-sales...

[omae mona]

Believing the post dated and politically filtered "facts" being fed to the public is pure stupidity. It seems that the average government press release is only 24-48 hours behind the media. So while you are sitting at your favorite sake bar sipping this I have fled Japan and the Iodine and Cesium tainted water and food while you are ingesting enough radioactive cabbage and water to ensure that you or your children shall never reproduce again.
Let me also state this. Politicians reign supreme for 1-10 years but radiation prefers to rear its head instantly or 20 years down the road. Tell me, who will pay the price in 2030 when you and your children have bone, brain and thyroid cancer? Will it be the politicians of the past or the health and finances of your children?

Imaginary Science is Fun!

[Greji]

Believing the post dated and politically filtered "facts" being fed to the public is pure stupidity. It seems that the average government press release is only 24-48 hours behind the media. So while you are sitting at your favorite sake bar sipping this I have fled Japan and the Iodine and Cesium tainted water and food while you are ingesting enough radioactive cabbage and water to ensure that you or your children shall never reproduce again.
Let me also state this. Politicians reign supreme for 1-10 years but radiation prefers to rear its head instantly or 20 years down the road. Tell me, who will pay the price in 2030 when you and your children have bone, brain and thyroid cancer? Will it be the politicians of the past or the health and finances of your children?

Please keep believing the disaster hungry media so you'll know exactly what's going on......

[Greji]

Hey, blacknois, have a cigarette. It'll calm you down!

Good advice Cranky, but if he don't have a pack of butts in his pocket, he better get'n quick......

[FG Lurker]

Believing the post dated and politically filtered "facts" being fed to the public is pure stupidity. It seems that the average government press release is only 24-48 hours behind the media. So while you are sitting at your favorite sake bar sipping this I have fled Japan and the Iodine and Cesium tainted water and food while you are ingesting enough radioactive cabbage and water to ensure that you or your children shall never reproduce again.
Let me also state this. Politicians reign supreme for 1-10 years but radiation prefers to rear its head instantly or 20 years down the road. Tell me, who will pay the price in 2030 when you and your children have bone, brain and thyroid cancer? Will it be the politicians of the past or the health and finances of your children?

Put down the remote control and step away from the 24 hour "news" channels.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

I welcome any byejin....more jobs (both in terms of employment, hand and blow) for those of us left.
And if things keep going the way they are, I'll be able to fulfill my dream of becoming a zombie killer in real life. Unless, of course, I become a zombie myself, in which case just kill me.

[Iraira]

Imaginary Science is Fun!

Ooooooooohhhhh! I like that little glowing yellow thingie, must be all the gigaseiverts that I'm inhaling. Blacknois, there's nothing really wrong with leaving. Leaving with the "all those who stay are doomed, bwahahaha" attitude, just makes you look like a whiny little bitch with a crackwhore for a mom. Enjoy your vacation.

That glowing guy..shit if I could figure out how to get that as a tattoo....

[omae mona]

Blacknois, there's nothing really wrong with leaving. Leaving with the "all those who stay are doomed, bwahahaha" attitude, just makes you look like a whiny little bitch with a crackwhore for a mom.

Given what he wrote, I don't think it JUST makes him look like a whiny little bitch. I think it also makes him look like a nutball conspiracy theorist, and it makes him look like somebody who can't grasp the science involved, AND it makes him look like a whiny little bitch with a crackwhore for a mom!

(ok, to be fair, I am not sure about his mom).

[Mulboyne]

...The Sankei had a strange story suggesting foreign single mothers had left their children behind...

Found the link again.

[matsuki]

1 words:
Kick-ass-sayonara-sales...

That and I'm receiving care packages full of granola bars, spam, pasta, batteries, flashlights, etc. on a daily basis. Some from people I barely know but have my work address I now have enough food/supplies now to last me 2 years so it's about time I look in to donating what I don't need.

[Ganma]

Chinese man turns himself in seeking deportation over nuclear fears

Police on Saturday arrested a 48-year-old Chinese man, who turned himself in to Nagasaki prefectural police seeking deportation due to his fears about the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi power station, for illegally staying in Japan, police officials said....

[Coligny]

That glowing guy..shit if I could figure out how to get that as a tattoo....

My long lost brother you mean ?

Meanwhile, kick ass sayonara sales:
http://tokyo.craigslist.jp/fuo/2288355971.html

YOU CAN'T BEAT FREE... (sorry bit late... damn I wish I wuz living in Tokyo...)

[Coligny]

Side Note, could somebody suggest to supermarkets to put 1 or 2 self checking ATM sized geiger counter so the paranoia could die by herself...

[matsuki]

Chinese man turns himself in seeking deportation over nuclear fears

LOL, can't afford the ticket home? Run to the Koban and ask them to deport you!

[CrankyBastard]

LOL, can't afford the ticket home? Run to the Koban and ask them to deport you!

Poor bastard probably doesn't realize he'll be in detention for months waiting for the paperwork to be cleared.

[canman]

I hope for his sake the detention center isn't in Fukushima!

[omae mona]

I hope for his sake the detention center isn't in Fukushima!

This is totally theoretical, but this inspired me to take a quick peek at the MOJ home page to see the list of immigration offices, just for my curiosity's sake. There is one in Koriyama, about 70km from the nuclear power plant. I can't tell if they have detention facilities there, or if it's just for paperwork.

But if they do have detention facilities, that could lead to some interesting diplomatic situations. It's outside the 20km Japanese evacuation zone. But it's well inside the 80km zone recommended by the U.S. If they had anybody in detention there, I doubt the MOJ would be very interested in moving them. But foreign embassies might see it differently.

map

[Mulboyne]

If you aren't fighting deportation, and have committed no other crime other than overstaying, you are put on a plane out of the country fairly quickly. That Chinese guy will be home in no time.

If the MoJ wanted to play very dirty, they could start distributing maps of the exclusion zones and then see how many Koriyama detainees were still happy to fight deportation

[TennoChinko]

http://modernmarketingjapan.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-tokyo-panic-started-amongst-us.html

.....However it did not help that during this time, the Political Minister Counselor Robert S Luke made quiet arrangements for his family to be evacuated. Of course this leaked. His wife, Ayumi Nakada, even posted it on her blog. Duh! Therefore many families felt that if the Lukes were evacuating, something must be up. And pressure on the Ambassador's office increased accordingly. Hence, I believe, they caved with a voluntary evacuation plan for Embassy staff and dependents. And, since the Ambassador indicated a consistent policy for American citizens, this new offer.. needed to be extended to US civilians and military dependents...at cost (Embassy dependents fly free). What's even more ridiculous was that the offer of voluntary evacuation was extended to employees at the US Consulate in Nagoya. Next on the list... Seoul, HK, Taipei, Canberra ?....

[Coligny]

Is some of youz see a 71' Hemicuda up in a sayonara sale leave me a PM kthxbye...

[Mike Oxlong]

Is some of youz see a 71' Hemicuda up in a sayonara sale leave me a PM kthxbye...

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