Kawaguchi's Russian citizenship approved

[Ptichka]

http://ptichkafs.livejournal.com/40710.html

Yuka Kawaguchi: I am very grateful to Russia’s president, but for now I only have the Japanese passport

Yesterday, January 15th , president of the Russian Federation Dmitri Medvedev has signed an Order to award Russian citizenship to the Japanese Yuka Kawaguchi, the 2008 and 2009 Russian champion, third medalist at 2008 Europeans, and a fourth place finisher at 2008 Worlds together with Alexander Smirnov. Yuko Kawaguchi has briefly shared her feelings on this with the sports information agency “All Sport”.

“I have not yet become Russian citizen”, reiterated Yuka Kawaguchi. “So far, I still only hold the Japanese passport, so I am still technically a Japanese subject. However, I am of course very glad that Russia’s president has signed this order to award me Russian citizenship. I am very grateful. Now, Sasha and I will be able to compete at the Vancouver 2010 Games. That, after all, is our goal.”

 

[Mathman]

Does she have to give up her Japanese citizenship to accept this?

 

[Alicja]

Does she have to give up her Japanese citizenship to accept this?

Yes, she indeed needs to give it up.

 

[Tinymavy15]

I am rather surprised that the Russians would do this. K&S are not even world medalists yet, and they are not favorites for Gold. They might snag a medal, but we will have to see what next year brings.

 

[Medusa]

I am rather surprised that the Russians would do this. K&S are not even world medalists yet, and they are not favorites for Gold. They might snag a medal, but we will have to see what next year brings.

The question is why shouldn't they do it? Having the lady skate all the time for Russia and winning medals for Russia - and then saying: no, you don't have an 80% chance for Gold at Olympics, you can go home now!? And besides dance they just don't have real chances for Olympic medals. They could of course do nothing and hope for miracles like Voronov developing some kind of style or Lutai getting some confidence. But apparently they prefer to do something, like ensuring that K/S can at least try to use their slim chance at a medal.

 

[Ptichka]

The question is why shouldn't they do it? Having the lady skate all the time for Russia and winning medals for Russia - and then saying: no, you don't have an 80% chance for Gold at Olympics, you can go home now!?

ITA. No reason for them NOT to do it.

As I understand it, Yuko does have to renounce her Japanese citizenship, but that's not permanent. Presumably, after she finishes her eligible career, she will renounce her Russian citizenship and after some time reclaim the Japanese. She has tried to lobby the Japanese government to make an exception for her, and IIRC they said they'd shorten the amount of time she'll need to wait before getting her Japanese citizenship back (something like 3 years instead of 5, but please don't quote me on this).

 

[Tinymavy15]

Why is Yuko SO reluctant to give up Japanese citizenship? What are the marvelous benefits?

 

[NatachaHatawa]

Why is Yuko SO reluctant to give up Japanese citizenship? What are the marvelous benefits?

Some people really have an attachment to their country of origine. Giving up one's citizenship is a symbolicly dtrong gesture. I know Id' fond it hard to give up my nationality even though my country has bucket loads of flaws.



Coming back to this decision, I agree with Pitchka and Medusa, it's only normal sonce Yuka is representing Russia and might even win Russia an Olympic medal.

 

[antmanb]

Why is Yuko SO reluctant to give up Japanese citizenship? What are the marvelous benefits?

Would you happily give up your nationality without a care in the world or without really caring much about it?

Ant

 

[antmanb]

I thought that Kawaguchi had very publicly stated that she would never give up her Japanese nationality (which Japan would require in order for her to take another nationality) just to skate in the Olympics since the Olympics is the only competition that would require her to have Russian citizenship.

Am i remembering this correctly or was it another pairing including a a japanese lady (though i'm struggling to think of any others)?

Ant

 

[Fredegunda]

Am i remembering this correctly or was it another pairing including a a japanese lady (though i'm struggling to think of any others)?

Ant

Wakamatsu/Fecteau in Canada.

 

[antmanb]

Wakamatsu/Fecteau in Canada.

Thank you! It was them I was thinking of. For some reason i thought it was Kawaguchi!

Ant

 

[Ptichka]

As I recall, Kawaguchi said that she would consider giving up her Japanese citizenship if she had a realistic chance to medal at the Olympics. She does. She has, though, talked about how difficult it is for her to do so; how she cannot even imagine having to get a visa to go home to Japan. However, for Japan it is a matter of their constitution that no dual citizenship is recognized.

Edited to add: besides the sentimental attachment to one's country, there is also a practical matter. Russia is a very unpredictable country, where foreigners haven't always been treated very well. Having Japanese citizenship means that if she were ever in any danger, the embassy would have likely stepped in to whisk her back to safety. Now, she is loosing this protection. I know I would not want to be in that position...

 

[beep_beep]

I read somewhere that in giving up her Japanese citizenship and taking Russian citizenship she would have to get a visa just to visit her family in Japan...

 

[Ptichka]

I read somewhere that in giving up her Japanese citizenship and taking Russian citizenship she would have to get a visa just to visit her family in Japan...

Of course she would! Russians need to get visas to visit Japan, and once her Japanese citizenship is revoked, she is like any other Russian...

 

[beep_beep]

Of course she would! Russians need to get visas to visit Japan, and once her Japanese citizenship is revoked, she is like any other Russian...

I was just saying that as a reason as to why she would think twice before making the decision...

 

[Blades of Passion]

Citizenship is just a piece of paper and so many of the Worlds problems come down to that. When will humankind become less obtuse?

 

[antmanb]

Citizenship is just a piece of paper and so many of the Worlds problems come down to that. When will humankind become less obtuse?

I'm sure professors of anthropology and social sciences the world over are suddenly having major revelations and questioning themselves over your astute proclamation

Ant

 

[Ptichka]

Citizenship is just a piece of paper and so many of the Worlds problems come down to that. When will humankind become less obtuse?

It's a beautiful sentiment, but I do beg to differ. To begin with, my US citizenship allows me to vote, participating in the democratic process that, among other things, has brought about today's inauguration festivities. It also means that if coup d'etat is to take place in, say, Thailand while I am vacationing there, the US government is likely to help me get the hell out of there before I get roasted. Also, before I acquired my US citizenship, I traveled with the "Refugee Travel Document" (few people have to use it since most travel on their passport in conjunction with green card, but we did have to renounce our Russian citizenship and thus had no nationality at all); the fine print there said that if I became physically or mentally disabled while abroad, the US immigration services had a right to keep me out. Hard to believe, but it was actually there. So no, my citizenship certificate, safe in the safe at the bank, is far more than just a piece of paper to me.

 

[Tinymavy15]

Sure, I understand that losing citizenship of your native country must be hard, I cannot imagine not being a U.S. citizen. But Yuka must have thought about this before she moved to russia to train with her partner. Maybe she thought they would never reach olympic level, but that is doubtful, after all they were training a quad salchow the first year they were together and Russia dosen't have the best pairs in the world right now.

On the other hand, Tanith B. seemed very willing to stop being Canadian and skate for the U.S. in 2006. I guess that she had lived in the U.S for so long she considered herself an american.

Whatever. I wonder why Yuka and her partner do not skate for japan. The Japanese have a rather non-exisistant pair program, so making the olympic team would be a given. Tamara Moskvina could follow them there, as Terosova did for Mao.