A group of Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers asked the Justice Ministry on Thursday to issue a special permit that will allow an undocumented Filipino family to stay in Japan.
Earlier this month, Justice Minister Eisuke Mori gave permission to 13-year-old Noriko Calderon to stay in Japan but said her parents, Arlan and Sarah, had to return to the Philippines.
The group, headed by former LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa, urged the ministry to reconsider its ruling so Noriko, who was born in Japan, will not be separated from her parents.
The group drew attention last year for drafting a proposal to raise the ratio of foreign residents in Japan to as high as 10 percent of the population within 50 years.