From Foreign Child to Deportee: The Case of T, a Brazilian Man of Japanese Descent Who Lived in Japan for 20 Years

抄録

This paper comprises a case study of T, a Brazilian man of Japanese descent who immigrated to Japan from Brazil at the age of 10 and was deported when he was 31. T’s 20 years in Japan can be described as a vicious cycle of truancy, delinquency, time in a reformatory, crime, time in prison, visa overstay, long-term detention, and forced repatriation. The paper investigates why T encountered difficulties in his life in Japan, was held in long-term immigration detention, and was ultimately repatriated to Brazil. The background and significance of his situation are examined through interviews and letters between T and the author, an inspection of T’s judicial records related to his case, and interviews with T’s mother. Factors connected to T’s social decline include the Japanese government’s shortsighted acceptance of migrant workers, an absence of an educational policy for foreign children, and an immigration policy that largely employs long-term detention and forced repatriation. Undocumented immigrants in Japan are regarded as unwanted foreigners and repatriated. In conclusion, the paper argues that T’s punishment was far heavier than the severity of his crime from the perspective of the balance between crime and punishment.