SHIZUOKA (Kyodo) More than 100 people, many of them Brazilians who have lost their jobs or residences, attended a gathering Sunday organized by a support group for advice from legal experts on their livelihoods in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, which has the largest Brazilian population in Japan.
In the two-day event dubbed a "village" through Monday, the heads of 108 struggling households received advice from lawyers and paralegals about their problems.
"I was fired by an auto factory last fall," Maranhao Alves, 39, told the support group. "If I can't find a job, my family will have to go home."
A 52-year-old Japanese temp staff worker said he is being forced to leave his dormitory because he will be laid off next Tuesday.
"Since it happened to be my birthday today, I hope I can find a clue about my future," he said.
About 19,000 Brazilians, many working at factories, live in Hamamatsu. Takao Shimba, the "mayor" of the temp staff support village and a judicial scrivener, said: "A number of foreigners lost jobs or homes in Hamamatsu where manufacturing is a key industry. We hope we can offer help regardless of nationality."