After reading the Dec. 25 article "State to aid foreigners in dire financial straits," I thought how much longer will the media report with metaphorically raised eyebrows that permanent foreign residents here are entitled to benefit from government policies equally with Japanese citizens? Why is that surprising? Do the Japanese think that foreign governments will help us while we live in Japan in these hard times?

I understand that it is newsworthy that the government of Prime Minister Taro Aso is considering giving permanent foreign residents the same fiscal gift being planned and budgeted for Japanese citizens to stimulate consumer spending. But I do not understand why it is SO newsworthy!

I am a permanent foreign resident. The Japanese may think of me as having a "home country" somewhere else, but as far as I am concerned, Japan IS my home country. I mean, this is where my home is, my only home. I live here and I will probably retire and die here, too.

I am disenfranchised, but I pay my taxes and other required monies to society, which means that Aso is MY prime minister. His salary, like that of all public servants — doctors, police, firefighters, teachers, librarians, customs officers, meat inspectors, civil servants, etc. — comes from my pocket, which makes him my employee. The government here is my government, although I have no voice in it.

So why should it be exceedingly newsworthy that under the government's plan, permanent residents may receive money equally with our Japanese neighbors as part of the planned economic stimulus package? I will spend the money here, just as my neighbors will. Where else would I spend it?

grant piper