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Mervin Tran, a Canadian born figure skater skating Pairs with Narumi Takahashi representing Japan, is aiming to obtain Japanese citizenship, revealed on Sunday 22nd by some JSF person.

Having Vietnamese father and Cambodian mother, Tran was born in Canada and now has Canadian citizenship. "Olympic games are every athlete's goal," Tran is reported to say, "obviously we are in a very complicated situation, but we realized (from winning the bronze medal at Worlds) that we have something to contribute to Japan."

According to the JSF person, the success at Worlds has given Tran confidence to compete among the best in the world at the Olympics, and he has made up his mind on this issue. But the problem is that you have to meet strict criteria to become a Japanese citizen, including more than 5 year residency in Japan. "It's impossible for him to become a Japanese citizen in time for Sochi through the regular procedure," the JSF person says, "so we are hoping the government finds some ways to support us."
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I'm afraid it will be very very difficult (next to impossible ), but good luck to Mervin anyway!

No way of knowing but I can't imagine that Japan would just bully through a citizenship in 2 years to a guy with no Japanese heritage, no history of living there and can't speak the language. I know they don't produce a lot of winter olympic medals, but I doubt the Federation would be that desperate.

If they don't go that pretty much kills Team Japan's hope for a team medal.

I love T/T, but I just have to think that their bronze was like the Dube/Davison situation in 2008. Enough teams sucked so they snuck through for their one world medal. I don't think we'll see them again on the world podium (except maybe at worlds on the Olympic year) and the JSF probably knows they are long shot...so I'm not sure they will have enough advocates to push this through.

I love T/T, but I just have to think that their bronze was like the Dube/Davison situation in 2008. Enough teams sucked so they snuck through for their one world medal. I don't think we'll see them again on the world podium (except maybe at worlds on the Olympic year) and the JSF probably knows they are long shot...so I'm not sure they will have enough advocates to push this through.

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Takahashi/Tran had two extremely well choreographed programs this season, both full of transitions. Probably the best programs of the season and with the exception of some of S/S' work, one of the best I have seen ever in pair skating.

Their basics are very strong, they are elegant, she hits lovely positions in the lifts, etc. etc. etc.

Yes, they aren't very consistent jumpers but if they manage to land their jumps again, they should easily medal again.

If they land the jumps/throws- They are very dangerous...better than #2 and #3 Russians, All Canadians (ironically) and Americans. They unfortunately are good for at least 3 mistakes a competition however...

It creates false expectations and disappointment among less knowledgeable fans.

And if, somehow, the Diet (Japanese Parliament) did grant him citizenship, the pressure to open up citizenship to other people who have actually lived in Japan for many years but cannot meet the normal citizenship requirements (like passing a written test in Japanese) would be enormous. The problem isn't opening up citizenship, but there is something wrong about granting it only to one young man who has never lived in the country while denying it to many others who have.)

It creates false expectations and disappointment among less knowledgeable fans.

And if, somehow, the Diet (Japanese Parliament) did grant him citizenship, the pressure to open up citizenship to other people who have actually lived in Japan for many years but cannot meet the normal citizenship requirements (like passing a written test in Japanese) would be enormous. The problem isn't opening up citizenship, but there is something wrong about granting it only to one young man who has never lived in the country while denying it to many others who have.)

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Except for the fact that the one man could potentially earn them Olympic medal (team) and perhaps even future Olympic medals in pairs, a lot of those people living in Japan can't.

To be frank I think T/T should be like give him citizenship or we will skate for Canada.

I would think their biggest selling point would be that without Tran Japan has no team for the the team event where they have a great shot at Gold. Possibility of bronze in pairs is a crapshoot and not much to bargain with. A gold in a team event would be more enticing.

If they want to be sure they can go to the Olympics he should move to Japan now and start learning the language so that he can meet the requirements for 2018.

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I hope Tran is making attempts to learn Japanese. Even if he never gets citizenship, just the fact that he is representing Japan on the international stage makes it important to put in some effort to learn the language and culture.

Never understand why teams like this form when they know all the hurdles that have to be overcome. If they were to marry would he automatically become a citizen. Then they could divorce after Sochi.

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Well, they still get to compete at Worlds even if this doesn't work, which is a big deal for them. Competing at Worlds and not Olympics is better than not having a partner at all, or having a partner who isn't good enough to qualify for the Worlds with you.

that is Impossible, other than Japan being of the most strict in regards to citizenship and Immigration. regarding VIP, it may have to go to the Parliament and other things before this is approved.

and if they give Tran special VIP treatment
it will cause an uproar to the Korean, Chinese and Filipino minorities in Japan
that have been living for many years but have faced so much discrimination
regarding their citizenship status

fact is, Japan wil look at the bigger picture
and I still think T/T bronze at Worlds was a fluke

pls Tran = No Japanese Heritage !
so this a long shot maybe 2018 ?
maybe even Canada might want to bring him back by then

I love T/T, but I just have to think that their bronze was like the Dube/Davison situation in 2008. Enough teams sucked so they snuck through for their one world medal.

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I agre. T/T did a great job this year at worlds but P/T and B/L had a bad long program, S/H missed one lift and K/S missed two lifts, without the major mistakes of those teams they would have not won a medal. It's no different than the Shibs winning last year because the French team fell.

They even won 2nd at NHK and won a trip to GPF only because S/S performed so badly.

I hope Tran is making attempts to learn Japanese. Even if he never gets citizenship, just the fact that he is representing Japan on the international stage makes it important to put in some effort to learn the language and culture.

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In the team interview before the medal presentation yesterday, Mervin said a few words in Japanese. I'm not sure what/how well but it seemed (at least to me) sort of similar to what came from the Reeds in the same interview. I would think the latter would have/should have had more opportunities to speak the language.

Well, they still get to compete at Worlds even if this doesn't work, which is a big deal for them. Competing at Worlds and not Olympics is better than not having a partner at all, or having a partner who isn't good enough to qualify for the Worlds with you.

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Well, I can understand why Narumi had to look outside Japan for a partner. After all she has a number of predecessors. But what about Mervin? Was he so desparate as to end up looking for a partner outside Canada?

Well, I can understand why Narumi had to look outside Japan for a partner. After all she has a number of predecessors. But what about Mervin? Was he so desparate as to end up looking for a partner outside Canada?

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If I recall correctly, Narumi was training in Canada and asked her coach, Richard Gaulthie, to find a partner for her.

And if, somehow, the Diet (Japanese Parliament) did grant him citizenship, the pressure to open up citizenship to other people who have actually lived in Japan for many years but cannot meet the normal citizenship requirements (like passing a written test in Japanese) would be enormous. The problem isn't opening up citizenship, but there is something wrong about granting it only to one young man who has never lived in the country while denying it to many others who have.)

If they skate for Canada and have bad performances by chance at Canadian Nationals, they could lose to Duhamel/Radford and Moore-Towers/Moscovitch and not go to the Olympics anyway..

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If T&T actually competed for Canada by the time of 2013 Worlds, there would be an excellent chance that T&T and the other Canadian team (probably D&R) would qualify for 3 teams. They would this year had T&T been competing for Canada.

Anyways, I wish Tran all the best. But I'm just wondering why they didn't do this sooner. Was the bronze medal the catalist? I mean, they had a very bright future from the start, practically.

She'd have to give up Japanese citizenship were she to get Canadian citizenship in time for Sochi, which in itself would take both expedited Permanent Resident processing and an exemption to the residency rules for citizenship. (For Permanent Residency, she'd qualify under the "self-employed" category for world-class artists and athletes.)

She may be tied more to her citizenship than he is to Canadian citizenship.