Not Now But One Day

© Sachiko Saito - Image from the Not Now But One Day photography project © Sachiko Saito - Image from the Not Now But One Day photography project © Sachiko Saito - Image from the Not Now But One Day photography project View all images ↓
View all images ↓
Report issue

It focuses on the Kurdish community living in Japan amidst Japan's exclusive immigration policies, prejudice, and lack of understanding, in an attempt to portray the difficulties they face, their complex and diverse identities, cultural survival, and hope

In Saitama Prefecture, located next to Tokyo, the Kurds, “the world's largest ethnic group without a country,” form a community of more than 3,000 people, and their number is increasing every year.They have applied for refugee status in Japan after fleeing Turkey's harsh assimilation policies, but Japan's refugee status rate is extremely low, and recognition as a “refugee” that recognizes political persecution in Turkey is considered damaging to relations between the two countries, and only one exceptional Kurd of Turkish nationality has been granted refugee status to date.They live mostly as undocumented immigrants. Even their Japanese-born children are treated as undocumented. Furthermore, in recent years, xenophobia has intensified in Japanese society, and hate speech against Kurds in particular has accelerated. Hate demonstrations have been held repeatedly in their residential areas, and there is no end to voyeurism and threats.

The Kurds began arriving in Japan in the 1990s as single men, and later, as families were called in, communities were formed. Since that time, Japan has compensated for its labor shortage with foreign workers and has turned a blind eye to the fact that they are not working in a regular way. As a result, Kurds are now responsible for much of the demolition work in and around Tokyo.Children who grew up in Japan or were born in Japan form a unique identity, accepting Japanese, Kurdish, and Turkish culture in their own way. Due to statelessness, it is difficult for them to go on to higher education or find employment as they wish.

The title “Not Now But One day” is named after the Turkish phrase “bügün değil ama elbet bir gün” written on a Polaroid by a young man who grew up in Japan.He has always told himself, “Not now, but one day, so hang in there.”The Kurds who have decided to live in Japan continue to live their lives in Japan in an unassuming manner for the day that will one day come.

© Sachiko Saito - Image from the Not Now But One Day photography project
i

A girl who attends a local junior high school. In Japan, children can receive compulsory education even if they do not have a residence status, so children of Kurdish residents in Japan can attend junior high school.However, awareness of going on to high school and beyond varies from family to family, and if they cannot go to high school, it is common for men to work and women to get married.

© Sachiko Saito - Image from the Not Now But One Day photography project
i

This is a public park that many of the Kurds living in Japan have fond memories of. In the 1990s, men who had come to Japan alone would spend their days in this park drinking tea when they didn't have work.

© Sachiko Saito - Image from the Not Now But One Day photography project
i

A woman's study desk. In Japan, there is a subject in compulsory education called “Shuji” (calligraphy), where students learn to write with ink on paper. This is written as “Passing on Culture”.

© Sachiko Saito - Image from the Not Now But One Day photography project
i

A girl wearing Kurdish clothes and holding a traditional Kurdish musical instrument. She was active in cultural activities to pass on Kurdish traditional culture in Japan."If we and the younger generation than us did not observe the language, there would be no such thing as a Kurdish society."

© Sachiko Saito - Image from the Not Now But One Day photography project
i

The bride's hand. In their hometown, there is a ceremony where the women gather together on the day before the wedding and paint henna on the palms of the bride.

© Sachiko Saito - Image from the Not Now But One Day photography project
i

Her husband had been detained by the immigration authorities for over a year.She therefore had to raise her three sons alone.

© Sachiko Saito - Image from the Not Now But One Day photography project
i

Camping in the mountains of Saitama Prefecture. The Kurds living in Japan have the custom of going camping on Japanese national holidays. The mountains of Saitama remind them of the scenery of their homeland.

© Sachiko Saito - These women, who are cousins, have different values and identities, but they live hand in hand together in Japan.
i

These women, who are cousins, have different values and identities, but they live hand in hand together in Japan.

© Sachiko Saito - He came to Japan in 1993 and married a woman with Japanese nationality, but he still has not been granted residency status.
i

He came to Japan in 1993 and married a woman with Japanese nationality, but he still has not been granted residency status.

© Sachiko Saito - Image from the Not Now But One Day photography project
i

He is 21 years old, clearly remembers the discrimination he faced as a Kurd in Turkey. He was beaten up at school just because he was a Kurd. Even in Japan, he has had to deal with problems such as visa status and xenophobia, but he said, “Even so, I have never lost hope.”

© Sachiko Saito - A middle school student on her way home from school. She came to Japan at age three but has no legal status.
i

A middle school student on her way home from school. She came to Japan at age three but has no legal status.