N FROM THE COLD:Court awards nationality to 2 stateless boys
Hundreds of other abandoned children may be affected.
The Asahi Shimbun / October 20, 2003
In landmark cases last month, family courts awarded citizenship to two stateless boys, opening a door of opportunity for hundreds of other children without nationality living in Japan. Most of these stateless children were born to foreign mothers and Japanese fathers who refused to acknowledge them.... One reason cases like these were never before brought to family court was for fear the children would be deported as part of the due process.... .''With no nationality, these children can't apply for passports, and will no doubt face extra obstacles at every turn in their lives, including marriage and career.''