UN expert on migrants on first mission to Japan

GENEVA (19 March 2010) – UN Special Rapporteur Jorge A. Bustamante will undertake his first official visit to Japan from 23 March to 1 April 2010, to observe the human rights situation of migrants in the country.

The independent expert is mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to examine ways to overcoming obstacles to the protection of migrants’ human rights, taking into account the particular vulnerability of women, children and those in an irregular situation.

The UN Special Rapporteur will visit Tokyo, Nagoya, Hamamatsu and Toyota, where he will meet with representatives of the government and the judiciary, as well as representatives of international and civil society organizations working on issues related to the human rights on migrants.

During his visit, Mr. Bustamante will focus on a wide range of issues, including education of migrant children, human rights of migrant women, irregular migrants and asylum seekers.

Mr. Bustamante, who will also visit an immigration detention centre located in Ushiku city, Ibaraki prefecture, plans to meet a number of individuals at the detention centre, including irregular migrants and asylum seekers.

At the end of his mission, the Special Rapporteur will hold a press conference in Tokyo, at the UN Information Centre, on Wednesday 31 March at 1500 hours.

Jorge A. Bustamante (Mexico), an expert in the field of international migrations, was appointed as Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants by the former Commission on Human Rights in 2005. His mandate was extended by the Human Rights Council in 2008 to help states and others, promote and protect the human rights of migrants. As Special Rapporteur, he is independent from any government or organization and serves in his individual capacity. His mandate covers all countries, irrespective of whether a State has ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

Check the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cmw.htm