Six descendants of Japanese who live in the Philippines will leave for Tokyo on Tuesday to appeal for official recognition as Japanese citizens, an organization helping them said Monday.

The Philippine Nikkei-Jin Legal Support Center said another Filipino-Japanese descendant whose similar petition was approved last March plans to join the trip so he can meet some of his relatives in Kagoshima Prefecture.

The center's Yuka Kanamaru identified the six petitioners as Hideo Miyake, 71, from Pampanga province; Felixberto Kajiwara, 78, from Davao Oriental; brothers Ramon and Henry Sato, 78 and 76, from Maguindanao; and Victoria Takeshige Tutor, 70, and Josefina (Elizabeth) Yagi Vicencio, 70, from Davao City.