Free Legal Consultation for FGs

[Mulboyne]

This appeared in the print IHT/Asahi but not online.

The city of Chofu will be offering free legal consultation for foreign residents, with interpretation provided in eight languages, on Dec. 5 from 1 to 4 p.m. Appointments are not required and consultations are kept strictly confidential. Just drop in at the 12th floor of Chofu City Culture Hall Tazukuri (a 3-minute walk from Chofu Station on the Keio Line)
Legal experts will be on hand to offer advice on visas, social insurance, international marriages and education. City officials will offer basic consultation on family-related issues including school and day care services.
Call 0424-41-6195

[Adhesive]

Sounds like an immigration sting operation to me. I'd suggest you all stay clear of that, unless you want to be swooped up by the keisatsu.

[Bongo]

No, it is not an imigration hit!
All major cities do this.
Actually, lawyers here must provide so many hours of free consultation per year or lose their licence.

[Mulboyne]

There's nothing fishy and it's a good way to get some advice if you make the effort to prepare your questions. Here's another one in Kyoto:

Free consultations with specialists in Kyoto: The Kyoto City International Foundation will hold a free consultation session for non-Japanese residents from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at its facility in Sakyo Ward.
The session is aimed at providing non-Japanese residents who do not understand Japanese with advice on issues often faced by foreigners, including legal matters, employment, taxes, social insurance, immigration and mental health. Advice will be given in strict confidence by specialists in each field. Interpreters will be available for speakers of Chinese, English, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai.
The service is free, but advance reservations are recommended. For reservations and more information, call the organizer at (075) 752-3511.

[AssKissinger]

There's nothing fishy and it's a good way to get some advice if you make the effort to prepare your questions. Here's another one in Kyoto:

How do you know that? I think there may be trickery involved. My experience is that gaijin who just use regular resources geared for anybody have better results than when they use these special made for gaijin services. Not that I don't appreciate your links. I just don't trust the gaijin helpers very much.

[Mulboyne]

How do you know that? I think there may be trickery involved. My experience is that gaijin who just use regular resources geared for anybody have better results than when they use these special made for gaijin services. Not that I don't appreciate your links. I just don't trust the gaijin helpers very much.

That's not a bad instinct to have. I agree, if I was an illegal I'm not sure I'd recommend dropping by but some of the best advocates for FG rights have been Japanese lawyers who have worked at these clinics and discovered how complicated life can be.
I would go along if,for instance, I'd been sacked unfairly from my job or if I was facing divorce and didn't know how the family court system worked. Nothing to lose.

[AssKissinger]

I would go along if,for instance, I'd been sacked unfairly from my job or if I was facing divorce and didn't know how the family court system worked. Nothing to lose.

Well maybe. But names and purposes can be deceiving in Japan. For example, Friends of the Rivers have done their best to destroy every river in Japan from top to bottom. The whole purpose of some place like you're mentioning could be to steer foreigners away from getting what's theirs if it means taking from the Japanese. Even a place that starts with good intentions can be restacked with different staff with different job assignments. Nothing to lose? I know of cases where people went to the gaijin help services with serious problems and were told 'We really regret to tell you that the way Japanese law is arranged there's nothing we can do about it.' On the other hand, I've seen different results when regular Japanese resources were used. I'm not saying these people aren't right on. But I am saying, that even in cases of divorce and labor issues, gaijin would be wise to be wary of their advice. I mean, if you can get two opinions do it. And then follow-up on the one you like the best. With out J-skills or a sincere Japanese advocate though, I suppose these groups are better than doing nothing.

[GuyJean]

[quote="The Ghost of AssKissinger"][/quote] Hey, Casper! Mind writing in something besides white on white? Red on black would freak me out a lot more.. Now, your words look like they're from some fluffy, homo angel.. Or some Snuggle commercial..

GJ

[Bongo]

Yeah, people with nothing constructive to say, generally say it LOUD and BOLD. Asskisser, fits the bill, perfectly!
Ha.....

[kamome]

One of the best "legal" consultations I ever received was at the Tokyo Immigration Center next to the garbage dump on Tennozu Isle. The official there gave me the stock answer to my question regarding visa status, then he gave me the not-so-legal but based-on-reality answer. It really saved me a big headache. And I was thinking that all the guys at Immigration are a-holes.

[kurohinge1]

...

The Ghost of AK ("GoAK"), of course, no longer has legal wrangles.

It just possesses who it wants, to achieve its goals, and, as they say, "possession is nine-tenths of the law".

[Taro Toporific]

...

The Ghost of AK ("GoAK"), of course, no longer has legal wrangles.

Buy GoAK: It's legal in Japan!

[kurohinge1]

It's not the possession by GoAK that people mind. It's what he leaves behind ...

[Mulboyne]

The schedule for these free legal consultations in Tokyo can be found on a website here. It gets updated and there are currently details of the next three in February and March at the bottom of the list.

[Greji]

The schedule for these free legal consultations in Tokyo can be found on a website here. It gets updated and there are currently details of the next three in February and March at the bottom of the list.

Thanks for a benri na post Mulboyne. I've been wanting to make an appointment for Bird, who gets easily confused by all things legal .

[kamome]

Thanks for a benri na post Mulboyne. I've been wanting to make an appointment for Bird, who gets easily confused by all things legal .

Thanks, Greji. Such a thoughtful guy!:tounge:

[Mulboyne]

Free legal consultations have, until now, only been available in the big cities. On June 1st (today), however, you will be able to get free advice over the phone between 1:00pm and 5:00pm. Call 03 3547-0300.

PDF with details here.