GUIDE BOOK FOR RETURNEES
Japanese Red Cross Society
September, 1959NOTICE
The Japanese Red Cross Society has the pleasure to notify you as follows:
You are free to stay in Japan, to go back to Korea, North or South, or to any place of the world where you are accepted. In so far as you observe Japanese laws and regulations, you are not forced to leave Japan.
PROCEDURES FOR THE RETURN1. The Principle
a) In the case of Koreans who wish to stay in Japan
The Koreans residing in Japan can, of course, stay in Japan. If they wish to go back to Korea, they can go back to Korea, North or South, or to any other places of the world where they are accepted.
They are by no means forced to leave Japan, so long as they respect the laws and regulations of this country.
This freedom of choice of the place of residence is a democratic principle recognized by all civilized nations in the world. It is an internationally accepted human right.
b) In the case of Koreans who wish to go back to North Korea
An accord was made between the Red Cross Society of Japan and the Red Cross Society of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea signed on August 13th, 1959 at Calcutta.
According to this accord, the first repatriation ship is to leave Japan within 3 months after the signature.
c) In the case of Koreans who wish to go back to south Korea
As regards the similar repatriation to the Republic of Korea, the result of negotiations between the Japanese Government and the ROK Government is awaited.
2. Qualification
a) According to the Accord mentioned above, persons who wish to go back to North Korea should come to the Japanese Red Cross Window and make an application for the return by themselves.
b) This application should be made based on completely free will.
In case you are threatened and cannot make the application or are forced to make it, you should report to the police, which will take appropriate measures for you.
c) If you are ex-Koreans who got the Japanese nationality by naturalisation, as the result of marriage, adoption, etc., you can go back to Korea if you wish.
It is the same with the Japanese who are supported by Koreans and going together with Koreans mho are supporting them.
d) However, you should remember that once a Korean gets back to his home country, he cannot come back to Japan any more without the special permission of the Japanese Government. Therefore, Koreans should be very careful not to do such a thing as to sand your husband first to Korea, let him look the situation and ask him to come back to Japan if the situation is not convenient. This is not possible to do.
3. The Japanese Rad Cross Window
a) You can get a form of application at any Window of the villages, towns, wards or cities.
b) Beforemaking your application, read carefully the poster displayed at the Window informing you the freedom of the choice of residence.
c) A family should make the application at the same Window. It is also preferable to make the application at the Window in your place of residence but this is not a condition.
If you have changed your residence later, you should inform the Window in your new place of residence at once. Otherwise a confusion may arise for which the Japanese Red Cross cannot assume the responsibility.
d) To make an application you should show, at the same time, the Certificate of Alien Registration. You should keep this Certificate till the last moment of embarkation.
If you have lost it, or have not got it yet, you should first go to the city, ward, town or village offices to get it and then make application for the return.
c) The staff merbers of the Japanese Red Cross will be there to explain to you the registration procedures in detail.
They will not question about your personal history or the motives of your return.
However, they will ask you if you made your decision of your own free will. They have to check also your identification Which is only natural
4. Advance Notice
The Japanese Red Cross will make necessary arrangements .with the Japanese Government about your exit permit on behalf of you.
Therefore if you are not such a person as not allowed to leave Japan by the Japanese law (for instance, a criminal who has not finished his term), you can expect to get, after a certain interval, an advance notice for departure, directly from the Prefectural Offices of the Japanese Red Cross.
5. Definite Notice
The definite notice will come later, at least about 20 days before the time of gathering at the station of departure, with all the necessary indications regarding when and where you should come to get on train and ship.
6. Luggage and Money
There is no limitation about the quantity of luggage you can carry with you but, excepting the luggage less than 60 kilo per person, you have to pay the freight charges. There are detailed regulations about the luggage.
You can get the information about it at the Window. It is needless to say that you cannot carry with you articles forbidden by the law of this country to be exported.
As for the currency, please see below.
7. Farewell
a) After you have made the application, please wait for the arrival of the advance notice for departure. You should say goodbye to your relatives and friends before getting on the train. There will be enough time between the advance notice and the time of getting on the train for that purpose.
b) But once you get on the Rad Cross train, you will be under the exclusive protection of the Japanese Red Cross Society until the time of embarkation an the repatriation ship, therefore, you are completely cut off from outside. Japanese Red Cross nurses and officials will be in the train to take care of you. Red Cross marks are put on the train.
If you have your national flags, posters, etc., please do not raise them anywhere until after embarkation. At way stations, please stay in your carriage. You cannot meet with your relatives or friends at the way stations except at the departing station. Japanese Red Crass officials and nurses will be at way stations to give you necessary assistances.
All these precautions ere necessary to avoid any troubles and accidents which might occur. It is for the interest of yourselves.
8. The Japanese Red Cross Center in Niigata
a) At Niigata you will get off the train. A bus will take you to the Japanese Red Cross Center. In this Center you will stay three nights and four days. During the period you will go through all the formalities for exit.
b) The first person you meet at this Japanese Rod Cross Center, will be representative of the Japanese Red Cross. You will meet him in a special room where will be also a representative of the ICRC and an interpreter but nobody else. As it will be practically the last chance for you to change your mind, if you want to do so, you should tell the Japanese Red Cross representative about it.
The representative of the ICRC is there to confirm again whether the registration system established by the Japanese Red Cross has afforded you a fair opportunity of deciding to leave Japan of your own free will.
The Japanese Red Cross Representative will give you the Exit Pass, on which the officials of the Immigration Bureau, Custom Office and Bank will stamp later.
c) The next person whom you meet, will be the official of the Immigration Bureau. There, you will sign the Report of Exit and hand it over to him.
d) The third person whom you meet, will be the official of the Custom House. He will inspect your luggage.
e) The fourth person you meet, will be the official of the Bank. There, you will change your money into the pound sterling cheque. You can carry with you an amount corresponding to ¥45,000. The amount exceeding ¥45,000 can be deposited in a Japanese bank in your name and can be withdrawn on your demand either in the forcing currency or in the Japanese money, according to the stipulation of the laws and regulations of this country. It is forbidden to take with you government bonds, share-certificates, deposit notes or insurance certificates.
f) A post office will be established in the Center. Letters and telegrams will be accepted. A canteen will be also opened in the Center where you can buy some articles if necessary. The lodging, meals and medical treatment will be given by the Japanese Red Cross.
g) The returnees should stay quiet and keep order in the Center. They are not allowed to go out of the Center. No relatives, friends or outsiders will be allowed to see them or come into the Center.
This regulation should be observed strictly. It is necessary not only for the security as a whole but also for a quick and smooth operation.
Please remember that you are in Niigata to complete the formalities and not to do sightseeing. Any trouble would delay the operation and would cause annoyance to your compatriots.
9. Embarkation
a) When all these formalities mentioned above have been finished, the Japanese Red Cross will make a list of returnees, which will be handed over to the representatives of the Red Cross Society of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, who will come to Niigata.
b) When you have finished formalities, a bus will take you to the peir. At the peir there will be the last check by the immigration official for identification and you will get aboard.
10. Conclusion
a) Thus, since your getting on the train till the time of embarkation, you will be under the protection of the Japanese Red Cross Society which will do its very best to secure your life and health in order that you can go back without fail to the place of your choice. We hope that you trust the Japanese Red Cross and follow all the regulations and orders given by its officials. The Japanese Red Cross will try to make your journey by train and stay in the Red Cross Center in Niigata as agreeable as possible under these conditions.
b) In the event of noncompliance with the Japanese Red Cross return regulations, the Japanese Red Cross can take such a measure which can go as far as to deprive the offender of the benefits of the Japanese Red Cross return operation.
CHANGE OF THE WILL
1. After you have made the application, if you change your mind and prefer to stay in Japan, you can do so. In that case you should present yourself at a Window of the Japanese Red Cross and complete necessary procedures for that purpose. There is no need to explain the reason for the change.
But you cannot do it by mail or by sending a substitute to the Window. You should present yourself. This condition is required in order to safeguard the freedom of will which is the principle of the present operation as mentioned above. (See page 1.)
2. If you are sick or unable to come to the Window by yourself for any reasons, you can present yourself at the Window Later, when you are recovered or when you can do so.
3. If you have missed the train or could not come to the assembly place at the fixed, you should inform at once to the nearest Japanese Red Cross official. who will make an arrangement so that you can leave Japan later. If you do not inform the official, we cannot help you but we shall not maks any investigation about your absence.
We will not ask you the reason why you missed the train or could not come in time.
4. In case you cannot express the change of your will as a result of threat or menace, you should appeal to the police. The police will take necessary measures.
5. Anywhere and any time, in case of difficulty the returnee may approach the Delegation of ICRC for advice (apply to the Japanese Red Cross Headquarters or the Niigata Red Cross Center ). The ICRC Delegation will ask the Japanese Red Cross to take necessary measures if any.
6. The change of the will will be recognized all the time since the application at the Window up to the moment of leaving the Niigata Red dross Center for the peir. You have just to mention it by yourself to the nearest Japanese Red Cross official who will take care of you. We shall not question the reason. You just tell that you have changed your mind and that is all. In the case you will stay in Japan after changing your will, no change will be made as regards the treatment you will receive for livelihood projection.
If later you will change your will again and wish to go back, you can make a new application.
These things may happen but we hope that it will not occur often. If it occurs too often, we shall be obliged to make investigation and take appropriate measures, if necessary.
CONDITIONS OF THE STAY IN JAPAN
Preamble
You are Free to stay in Japan. In this case, your living conditions will be quite the same and you can enjoy the same life as in the past.
The Japanese Red Cross wants to remind you that your living condfticns, as they are, are as follows:
1. Staying in Japan
a) Under the existing laws of Japan, Koreans who have been continuously residing in Japan since before September 2nd, 1945 (the date of the signature of the Instrument of Surrender) and their children born during the period between September 2nd, 1945 and April 28th, 1952 (the date of the coming into force of the Peace Treaty with Japan ) are permitted to stay in Japan without any status required under the Immigration Control Order. They can engage freely in any lawful activities in Japan.
b) Children of Koreans who were born after April 28th, 1952 are permitted to stay in Japan for the period of three years.
This permission is renewable without fee.
c) In other respects, their legal status will be equal to that of any other aliens.
2. Treatment
All the treatments given to the Korean residents, including those regarding livelihood support, education, labour, etc. will continue to be given on the current basis.
a) Livelihood Support
Legally speaking, the Livelihood Support Law is applied only to Japanese nationals and aliend are not entitled to receive benefit under it,
However, the Japanese Government affords to impoverished aliens the same Support as the one afforded to Japanese nationals under this law, as administrative measures.
This Government support includes the assistances for living, housing, education medical care, birth, occupation and funeral services.
b) Education
Aliens have no duty or right to compulsory education which is applied only to Japanese nationals. However, if Koreans desire to receive education of compulsory courses they are permitted to do so. Aliens are permitted to higher educational institutions according to their ability on the same basis as Japanese nationals,
c) Labour
The Labour Standand Law and the Employment Law provide that no discrimination should be made on account of race, nationality, creed, etc. Thus, Koreans can work or seek employment according to their ability under the same conditions as Japanese nationals. Since the Unemployment Insurance Law makes no discrimination to aliens, Koreans can also receive benefits of unemployment insurance.
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