Entertainers protest Japan's policy

Overseas performing artists (OPAs) yesterday dared President Gloria Arroyo to file a diplomatic protest as Japan starts implementing a new immigration policy.

This policy is expected to significantly cut the Philippines deployment of entertainers there.

OPAs and members of militant groups marched from the foreign affairs department to the Japanese Embassy yesterday criticising Tokyo's decision to impose stricter guidelines in the entry of foreign entertainers.

Maita Santiago, secretary-general of militant Migrant International, said the Arroyo government should be blamed for not exerting enough efforts to stop Japan's new policy. "To prove she's not in collusion with the Japanese government and that this isn't a done deal, she should file a diplomatic protest immediately,"Santiago said.

Santiago said Arroyo knew of Japan's tough stance against undocumented workers in June 2004 but did nothing even when she met Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi during the Japan-Philippines Free Trade talks in August.

The Japanese government now requires all foreign entertainers to have two years of formal education in the performing arts and two years of work experience outside of Japan.

The measure hopes to curb human trafficking in Japan as studies showed that many women in the entertainment industry end up in prostitution.

"By not speaking out against Japan's trend of making migrant workers scapegoats for its problems of criminality and prostitution, Arroyo paved the way for the imposition of Japan's action plan about OPAs.

"This plan clearly blames the victims, instead of the traffickers, and does little to solve the root causes of trafficking," said Santiago.

Local recruitment companies said the new policy will reduce the country's deployment to Japan to 80 per cent since majority of those who apply there are new entertainers.

The Philippines sends 80,000 entertainers to Japan yearly. Remittances from these workers amount to $389 million (Dh 1.42 billion) annually, noted Santiago.

- With inputs from Jose Reinares