On October 25, Mr. Sei Francis Uemoto became the first
National of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) to obtain his citizenship
under a changed immigration law.
Mr. Uemoto was born in Pohrasapw
Village, Kitti Municipality in Pohnpei on September 17, 1930 to a Pohnpeian
mother and a Japanese father. He had
twelve siblings who were born in Pohnpei, most of whom had passed on.
Sei Uemoto returned to Pohnpei in
1983 and took up residency ever since. He eventually became very active in the
private sector area as a farmer of Pohnpei pepper and owner of a coffee shop, a
restaurant and a number of business ventures. He would occasionally return to
Japan to visit family. He has been living in Pohnpei for over 35 years.
On May 28, 2013, Mr. Uemoto lodged his declaration of intent
to become a FSM citizen. On August 20,
his application was approved, and he was informed that citizenship will be
bestowed upon proof of his renunciation of his Japanese citizenship and a
letter from his country accepting the renunciation. On the same day, Mr. Uemoto renounced his
Japanese citizenship and on October 21, a letter from the Japanese embassy in
Pohnpei was received confirming that he had renounced his Japanese citizenship.
President Manny Mori administered the pledge of allegiance on
October 25 and handed a FSM passport to affirm Mr. Uemoto’s new citizenship
status, making him the first FSM National to have taken advantage of the latest
immigration law.
The process was made possible when the Fifteenth FSM Congress
put in place what became public law 15-28 on March 20, 2008.
According to the FSM Department of Justice, the law allows
for FSM Nationals to become citizens following set procedures that included the
renunciation of their former citizenship.
The event for Mr. Uemoto was witnessed by Pohnpei Governor,
Mr. John Ehsa, Senator McGarry Miguel from Pohnpei State Legislature, Senator
Berney Martin, FSM Congress, Secretary of Justice, Ms. April Dawn Skilling,
Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Samson Pretrick, Assistant Secretary
of Resources and Development, Mr. Hubert Yamada, various staff members from the
Department of Justice, family members and Mr. Martin Jano, Uemoto’s attorney.
It is sad that he had to pick between this two cultures/nationalities. I hope my kids will not have to make that decision and the FSM will allow dual citizenship for its citizens of multi nationalities.
ReplyDeletecongrats uncle
ReplyDelete