#83: For Non-Divisive Diversity (PART 5)

【Citizenship】
Naturally, given that we’re all equal as humans, it’s unjust to be forced upon inborn inequities. To achieve a truly borderless society, we must do away with the traditional privilege of nationality and, instead, empower everyone with the freedom to live wherever we wish. In today’s world, this begins by welcoming immigrants into our countries and communities.
 
Now, what about refugees who are forced to flee their homes to escape war, violence, or persecution?
 
As of 2021, Turkey welcomes the most with 3.70 million refugee people.
 
This is followed by:
 
Uganda           1.48 million
Germany        1.24 million.
 
The US and Japan trail well behind with:
 
US                       340 thousand
Japan                only 1 thousand.
 
As I write this blog, the Russian military’s abhorrent invasion of Ukraine unfolds, with many countries welcoming refugees from Ukraine. The neighboring countries welcome the most with: 
 
Poland            2.91 million
Romania          778 thousand
Hungary          493 thousand
Moldova          434 thousand
Slovakia           356 thousand.
 
The US has promised to welcome up to 100 thousand people.
Japan, despite taking unprecedented measures in break from the past, has so far welcomed roughly 500 people.
 
To welcome immigrants and refugees, it’s imperative that the society as a whole is ready to challenge the often baked-in preferential treatment of the privileged; to embrace our differences with a warm welcome.
 
Rather than a quick-fix, we must work towards a more mature society where people regularly engage in discussions about welcoming immigrants/refugees, nurture compassion through a global lens, and deepen thoughts of helping those in need.
 
In one important aspect, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia do a fabulous job in openly welcoming immigrant people who already comprise a hefty portion of their population (89% and 38%, respectively). On the other hand, it’s quite regrettable that they’re less enthusiastic about welcoming refugees or granting citizenships.
 
Here, let’s examine how the acquisition of citizenship generally works.
 
In today’s global system of nationality and borders, an acquisition of citizenship is essentially a necessity to freely live in a country or vote in elections. Every year, roughly 9 thousand people born of foreign nationality newly acquire Japanese citizenship, which is only about 1/90th compared to 700 thousand people born of foreign nationality who newly acquire American citizenship.
 
What’s more, Japan applies the “right of blood” principle of nationality law known as jus sanguinis, stipulating that a child born in Japan to the parents of foreign nationality won’t acquire Japanese citizenship.
 
To be fair, it’s true that almost all countries in the world apply jus sanguinis. However, countries such as France, Germany, and England apply this principle with some leniency--for example, if a child and a parent are both born in France, then the child will acquire French citizenship even if the parent is of foreign nationality.
 
However, countries such as Japan, Korea, and China apply the strict form of jus sanguinis whereby even if a child and the parents are all born in Japan, and for that matter born in Japan over generations after generations, none of the children will ever acquire Japanese citizenship as long as the parents are of foreign nationality.
 
On the contrary, many countries in the American continents including the US, Canada, and Mexico apply the “right of soil” principle of nationality law known as jus soli, stipulating that, for example, a child born in the US acquires American citizenship regardless of the parents’ nationality.
 
Nevertheless, the ideal principle is to do away with the divisive system of nationality and its borders; to empower everyone with the freedom to live wherever we wish.
 
On our march towards non-divisive diversity, it’s imperative that we embrace our differences with a warm welcome and rid our traditional privileges.

Read Next: For Non-Divisive Diversity (6)【National Interest】
Read Previous: For Non-Divisive Diversity (4)【National Borders】
 
Complete Series: For Non-Divisive Diversity (1)～(7)
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