Visas to Japan

My sister and 20 other persons intended to visit Japan as tourists. Their travel agent applied for visas at the Japanese embassy in Jakarta. Much to the travel bureau's chagrin the visas for three old ladies were approved but the applications for the others were rejected. The travel bureau was understandably disappointed as it lost a source of income.

I know that there are bogus tourists from poor countries who came to Japan to get a job. As soon as they do, they disappear from the watchful eyes of immigration officials and go underground.

For many Asian countries, migrant workers -- legal or illegal -- are an important source of foreign exchange income. Japan as an industrial country needs many laborers and there is always a shortage of laborers for menial jobs: sweeping roads, hauling garbage, and cleaning sewers. It is common knowledge that the more educated a population is, the harder it is to find people willing to do such work -- that's where migrant workers come in.

A. DJUANA

Jakarta