Arlan Calderon speaks to the press
The Philippine Star has interviewed Arlan Calderon, father of Noriko Calderon. The interview fills in a few details about Noriko’s situation that were not included in other press reports. Here’s an excerpt [description of what it means to "look Japanese" emphasized in bold text]:
“One day, three Japanese police came to our house to tell us that we’re being arrested and questioned for overstaying,” Arlan said in Tagalog.
He could barely speak English but is in fluent Nihongo.
Arlan not only speaks Japanese fluently, but even looks Japanese, with slanted eyes, fair complexion, crewcut hair and bushy eyebrows.
He did not give details on how they were discovered, but discounted the possibility that they were turned in by a fellow Pinoy in Japan.
“Nobody snitched on us,” he said, attributing their being found out more to the efficiency of the Japanese authorities.
The couple came to Japan in 1993 to seek greener pastures, where Sarah initially sold various merchandise with the help of relatives and Arlan worked in a construction company.
When asked why her daughter never learned to speak Tagalog, Arlan said they tried to teach her but their daughter opted to speak Japanese.
“We tried to teach her our language but she would have none of it. And when she goes out of the house, all of her friends and classmates are Japanese,” Arlan said.
Arlan and Sarah said they will eventually live in Japan when Noriko turns 16 or 18, but are not sure if their daughter could apply to be a naturalized Japanese.
In case Noriko becomes a naturalized Japanese, they hope she would petition the Japanese government to let them stay in Japan permanently.
The Japanese government has already stated that it will allow the Calderons to make short visits to see their daughter. (Under normal circumstances, foreigners who illegally enter Japan are banned from re-entering the country for five years.)
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