The commitment of the governments of Brazil and Japan to work towards improving the lives of Brazilians residing today in Japan was the message that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva left in Nagoya, Saturday, May 28, before embarking back to Brazil.
Brazilians living in Nagoya filled up the city’s conference hall to hear Lula’s speech, take pictures with him, or to simply shake hands with the President.
The community faces problems because Brazilians are staying longer in Japan, and thus start to need services such as schools, health, and social security.
It was the first time that a President of Brazil visited a community of Brazilians in Japan. Currently, they are 280 thousand people. Lula said that Brazilian and Japanese authorities will intensify dialogue in order to solve these problems.
Brazil and Japan have just established a joint program to give assistance to the Brazilian community living in Japan.
The document signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi includes incentive measures to teach the Japanese language to Brazilian children “with the objective of improving their school performance and fostering their adjustment to the Japanese society.”
Local governments are also encouraged to offer alternative recreational activities, sports, and cultural exchange for Brazilian children and youth.
A work group will study social security solutions for the immigrants. Health issues were also cited, as well as family matters, such as divorces and child support establishment.
Agência Brasil