Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Friday urged Japan to postpone the implementation of new immigration rules that threaten thousands of Filipino entertainers. Arroyo conveyed her appeal to Taro Nakayama, chairman of the Japan-Philippines Parliamentarians Friendship League, during a meeting in Manila. "I ask you and your government to postpone the implementation of your new immigration rules," she told Nakayama. Under the new immigration rules, Tokyo will no longer recognize the certification of foreign governments of professional qualifications of entertainers. It will also require applicants to have at least two years of performance experience outside Japan before they could be allowed to work there. The measures, adopted by the Japanese government last month, were aimed at curbing human trafficking with some Filipinos hired as entertainers ending up as prostitutes in the past. However, if implemented, the new rules will cut down by as much as 90 per cent the number of Filipino women who can be qualified to work in Japan as entertainers. Arroyo told Nakayama that if the new rule would be implemented, the Philippines would instead concentrate on sending more nurses, caregivers and information technology workers to Japan. "When that happens, we will concentrate on sending nurses, caregivers and IT workers to your country so that we can avoid what happened to our entertainers," she said. Nakayama assured Arroyo that her appeal would be relayed to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, a government statement said. At least 80,000 Filipinos apply to work as entertainers in Japan every year. Thousands of Filipino entertainers have been protesting the new immigration rules, holding street protests at the Japanese Embassy in Manila and the labour department office.
