Stacey and Yoshi's story was previously featured on the blog :
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/stacey-and-yoshi-stacey-tells-her-story.html
This couple's story has moved on. Fortunately they have an opportunity to live together in Yoshi's home country, Japan - a country which respects its citizens' human rights to marry whom they wish. But the choice between leaving your home or your partner is one that nobody should ever be forced to make.
Nobody should be pressured into effective exile for marrying someone of another race, culture, religion, or nationality.
Stacey has written movingly on their situation, which you can read here :
http://www.scribd.com/doc/164673765/Stacey-and-Yoshi
Ultimately, I'm being forced to choose between my home, my country and the culture I was brought up in - and the love of my life.
I’ve have only very recently decided to move to Japan with my partner and marry him in Japan. Fortunately, the Japanese system is much less discriminatory than the British one and provided that Yoshihiro and I can prove we are in a legitimate relationship, I can marry my fiancé and live with him in his home country.
I am daunted at the prospect of leaving my family and all my friends in the UK and also the idea of trying to assimilate into one of the most unique countries in the world, but I love my partner and don’t want to be separated from him.
I don’t think it’s fair that the British system essentially discriminates against Japanese partners of British citizens, yet the Japanese system does not do the same to British partners of Japanese citizens. I think it goes against our human rights. It causes devastation and misery to hundreds of people who simply want to live their lives together. Theresa May and David Cameron, members of the current Conservative government have stated that they strongly believe in families and the institution of marriage. Yet the current restrictions set in place against partners of non European citizens do not reflect those statements.
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