Hello. I am Yamane, a volunteer at APFS.
On Saturday, June 26th, I participated in the workshop, “IOM’s support for the victims of human trafficking,” held by the human trafficking task force coordinators from the IOM (International Organization for Migration) office in Japan. To be honest, I hadn’t known anything about human trafficking in Japan, as I thought it was a wide-spread crime outside of Japan.
I listened to stories of actual cases of human trafficking. A Filipino woman in her twenties was forced a fake marriage, was coercively taken to Japan from Manila, and worked under duress at a bar. A Thai woman (also in her twenties) entered Japan without knowing about her use of a fake passport and was forced to commit prostitution. I learned that many victims of human trafficking (for sexual and labor exploitation) suffer in Japan, and that they are in urgent need for help.
However, the low visibility of human trafficking in the Japanese society has caused a lag in the distribution of support, and we also lack government efforts and public shelters.
I have decided to inform the people around me of what I learned at the workshop.
I hope to participate in a workshop again. Thank you very much.
About Us
- APFS
- APFS was established in the late 1980's when “newcomers” (the latest wave of immigrants) were making their way to Japan in great numbers. Japan was at the height of an economic bubble. However, it was long before the word “multiculturalism” became widely acknowledged in Japanese society, and foreign residents in Japan often had to face harsh reality of prejudice and oppression at their work place and in their daily lives . Under such circumstances, APFS was formed by Bangladeshi and Japanese members with the aim of creating a flourishing multicultural society in Japan based on a trusting relationship among its members. APFS started its history by fostering friendship between the Bangladeshi and Japanese, but we today have over 3200 members from 13 different countries. Living in Japan as a non-Japanese resident can be quite tough sometimes., particularly if you are a undocumented migrant. APFS provide support to non-Japanese residents through our consultation service that covers various issues such as medical care, visa status and labour problems. We also put a lot of effort into education programs to raise awareness regarding cultural diversity in Japanese society.