A lady of Vietnamese origin makes great gains in Japan

Portrait of Kakimoto Yuri displaying on the front page of Yomo-Shinbun Daily News

A lady of Vietnamese origin’s story was boldly displayed on the front page of YomoShinbun Daily News. Her Vietnamese name was Hoang Thuy Bao Quyen. She was born in 1977. Originally from Bien Hoa city, Dong Nai province, she arrived with her parents in Japan when she was only five years old. As a new immigrant, she was requested a name change to Sugimoto Yuri. Her last name changed to Kamimoto Yuri due to marriage.

Memories of her childhood in her homeland encouraged her to follow and pursue her dream becoming a medical subspecialist when Yuri’s parents took her to the dentist, she felt confident in the safety of the medical subspecialist care for children. Since Yuri’s family settled in the city of Tatebayashi neighboring Tokyo, she has been the top students in primary and high schools. Yuri was much-beloved by her Japanese friends. The YomoShinbun article conveyed Yuri’s innermost feelings about her dream. It wrote that all the while, Yuri never gave up on her dream although it was very difficult for foreign students who could gain entry into medical universities of Japan; she, however, had to try harder in order to chase her dream.

Yuri was one of the two outstanding transfer students entering the Medical University. She has achieved an outstanding academic record during the four years of academic study at the Medical University and received her medical degree from this university. Then, she has been highly recommended to the state hospital located in the city of Tatebayashi by the medical university.

The YomoShinbun article also wrote statement made by a Japanese doctor and professor at the Medical University that Yuri seemed gentle, yet strong-willed; light hearted yet calm, comfortable, yet fearsome at the same time but Japanese people could not create strong personalities as the same as Yuri, a lady of Vietnamese origin.

Since 1995, Yuri’s efforts have been directed toward homeland. From 1995 until now, Yuri has become a volunteer translator for the delegation from Gunma Ken Fashion Corporation under Japanese Ministry of Industry during her summer holidays or annual holiday. She has accompanied the delegation to Ha Noi in order to recruit Vietnamese workers to supply to Japanese Garment Industry. Besides, Yuri is also teaching Vietnamese students in Japan in Japanese language on Sundays and holidays. To date, the number of Vietnamese workers employed Japanese companies and Vietnamese students in Japan receiving assistance from Yuri is 1000 people.  Yuri and her father, Mr. Hoang Cao Tuan, have played an active role in protecting rights and interests of Vietnamese workers who are living in Japan. He often comes to residential area of Vietnamese workers to find out what they need and helps them save money to send their families. Thanks to him, the Vietnamese workers can enjoy fresh food at cheap price in Japan.

Yuri, a Japanese woman of Vietnamese origin, has tried her best to get a stable job. Presently, she has a pretty son and her family is very happy. She married a Japanese man named Kakimoto-Masatoshi who is an architect in Kawashima Limited Company (Japan). He is partner-in-charge of design for expansion project of Tan Son Nhat International Airport and repair project of Da Nhim Hydroelectric Plant and other projects in Vietnam.

Trung Tien