A Japanese court upholds the denial of citizenship to a 95-year-old woman of Japanese-Filipino heritage who was left behind in the Philippines after World War II. According to reports, the Hiroshima High Court, Matsue branch, dismisses her appeal and affirms an earlier ruling rejecting her bid for Japanese nationality.
The case dates back more than eight decades. The woman, Rosalina Kamba Fernandez, and supporters say she and other descendants were left in the Philippines after the war and have pursued a path to citizenship years later. One outlet reports that Fernandez visits Japan earlier this year on a government-funded trip connected to broader efforts to help descendants seek citizenship.
While both outlets describe the court’s decision as rejecting her application, they differ mainly in framing and emphasis. One report highlights that the higher court denies the appeal, while the other focuses on the role of a Japan-based support group and the dates of the legal decision, including a decision dated Sept. 9.
No source cited a reversal of the lower court or indicates that citizenship is granted following the ruling.
