Refugees in Japan

≪Presentation Report≫ １．UNHCR said Japan helps too few refugees

First, I tell Japan Times NEWS about refugees- recognition system in Japan. This news says, Japan should accept more refugees and Japan's refugee-recognition system must be changed. It is very strict now.

UNHCR said, there are conflicts in Syria and Iraq. These have produced more than 12 million refugees and displaced people. They escape from their country to nearby countries. So, some neighboring countries have reached their limit. For example, 1/3 of Lebanon's population is occupied by refugees. UNHCR want Japan to accept more refugees.

Japan said, people who escape from conflicts is not equal to refugees. Some people try to abuse Japanese recognition system. For example, people who said "I'm asylum seekers/refugees" are just economic migrants. Japan must distinguish asylum seeker and migrant worker. So, Japanese recognition system is difficult for refugees.

2.Japan’s refugee recognition process

Second, I tell Japan's refugee recognition process. This information is from Japan’s UNHCR website because it is national organization.

I felt it was very simple. First, asylum seeker does refugee application and interview with Immigration Bureau’s staff. After that, he is told whether can get refugee recognition or not. If he isn’t recognized as refugee, he can do objection statement within seven days. And to save his human right, he can get special residence permit. He interviews with other Immigration Bureau’s staff again. After that, he is told whether can get refugee recognition or not. If he can’t be recognized again, he can cause Administrative trial and he can still have special residence permit.

I think this process is very simple and clear. However, many asylum seekers don’t feel so. UNHCR helps refugees but this website does not say refugees’ view point. So, I want to research Japan’s recognition system looked at it from refugees.

★JAR helps asylum seekers and refugees

I learned Japan accepted only six refugees in 2013. So, I’m interested how refugees live in Japan. I researched Japan Association for Refugee’s website. This organization helps refugees and asylum seekers in Japan. I think it is refugees view point.

Many foreigner whose country has war, conflict and so on, has come to Japan. They insist "I'm refugee." but Japan's recognition system is very strict, so there are many asylum seekers in Japan.

They don't know how to do refugee application. I tell you one of their experience. He doesn't know where should he go and what should he do, so he had to live in outside in two weeks. After few month since he came to Japan, he could know how to do refugee application being supported by JAR. However, preparation to be recognized as refugee is very hard. He must write a lot of documents. He felt very hard to be recognized. I thought Japan's recognition system is still strict.

3.”Deutsche Welle” opinion

Third, I told Germany's international broadcaster, and opinion for Japan's refugee recognition system. This is because Germany accepts so much refugees, so I think I can get refugee's side viewpoint against Japan's system.

This website says, some of Asia's wealthiest countries, such as Japan and South Korea, have strict policies about refugees. These countries' number of asylum seekers who can get refugee recognition has decreased.

Deutsche Welle(= DW) shows opinion about why Japan and South Korea don't want to accept refugees. There are mainly three points. First one is geography. Second one is unwanted population. Third one is economic value. This is very important point. DW says Japanese government have long privileged economic growth. So Japan don't want to accept low-skilled migrant worker. This point has deep connection to strict recognition system.

To distinguish just low-skilled immigration worker, asylum seeker must submit many documents to Japanese government. However, asylum seekers escaping from country that have conflict usually don't have evidence. So, it is very difficult to get refugee recognition. DW says that maybe to protect peace and order, Japan don't try to accept so many refugees.

4.Details of recognition system’s difficulty

Finally, I told why Japan don't want to accept refugee.

European nations make hundreds of thousands of refugees stay. These nations accept more refugees.

Compared to this, Japan pledged to give $200 million to fight ISIS as supplement accepting refugees. Shogo Watanabe, immigration lawyer, said "The low recognition rate is shameful." I think giving money used for fighting isn't supplement accepting refugees.

After that, I told why Japan’s recognition system is so difficult. I introduce Shogo Watanabe's opinion against Japan's recognition system. He is immigration lawyer. Japan's definition of refugee is very strict. Shogo Watanabe said "refugee is person who have risk of being persecuted, not have been persecuted."

Japan is signatory to the 1951 Convention related to the Status of Refugee. It means that Japan is signatory to the UNHCR standards. So, Japanese standards can't be currency anywhere. It is not allowed to create "Japan-specific" standard.

5. Conclusion

Japan’s recognition system is difficult. This is becauseJapan want to distinguish refugee and migrant worker. So, asylum seekers must have evidence but “refugee” escaped from home country. They tend not to be able to have evidence.

I think why Japanese system is difficult is just that, Japan want to protect peace and order. To solve this issue is very difficult. However, if we can, Japan will accepts more refugees. We can help refugees, who have critical phase. So, I can notice studying multicultural Japan is very important to solve this issue. If we can understand and communicate with refugees, Japan’s recognition system can be changed.

Useful Resourses

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/11/18/national/japan-helps-too-few-refugees-unhcr-chief/#.Vh1rCxGhdMs Japan Times article

https://www.refugee.or.jp/jar/ Japan Association for Refugees webpage in Japanese

https://www.refugee.or.jp/en/ Japan Association for Refugees webpage in English ⇐ I think it is important to understand

http://www.unhcr.or.jp/html/j_protection.html Japan's recognition process UNHCR website

http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/10577174/ Negative opinion about refugees

http://newsphere.jp/politics/20150313-1/ Japanese opinion about not accepting many refugees

https://www.refugee.or.jp/refugee/japan.shtml Asylum seekers' life in Japan

http://www.dw.com/en/no-country-for-refugees-japan-and-south-koreas-tough-asylum-policies/a-18037765 Deutsche Welle website

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/09/japan-takes-no-syrian-refugees-yet-despite-giving-200m-to-help-fight-isis Abe prime minister's speech

http://ignition.co/359 Shogo Watanabe, Immigration lawyer, said his opinion about Japan's recognition system

≪Discussion Report≫

At the end of my presentation, I gave listener four questions. My listeners are Miyuki and Shota. They answered my questions and I could get many their opinions. I got impressive and spent very good time.

They are my discussion questions.

Do you think Japan should accept more refugees?

Do you feel Japan’s recognition system is strict?

If Japan accepts more refugees, how does Japan’s situation change to?

Can you imagine many refugees are in the street, park and so on?

First one is “Do you think Japan should accept more refugees?” They said “yes”. Miyuki said “Many countries, especially Europe countries, accept many refugees. And some countries such as Lebanon reached their limit. So, I think Japan should accept more refugees. It is very strict that Japan accepts only six refugees in 2013.” Shota said “I think so too. Australia accepts many refugees (3,500) though it is very far from Syria and other Middle East countries. “Far” is not reason that Japan doesn’t accept refugees.”

I agreed with their opinions. I also think Japan should more refugees. Giving money for fight is not good solution.

Second one is “Do you feel Japan’s recognition system is strict?” They said “Yes.” too! Miyuki researched more detail about documents that asylum seekers in Japan must submit to the Immigration Bureau to be recognized as refugee. She showed me documents’ format. There are many questions to be recognized. She said “For refugees these are very difficult because they don’t have evidences as you (= me, Kaho) said. They escaped from their country.” Shota said “Syria has conflicts, so it is natural that refugees don’t have good evidences. And Japan accepts only 0.2% refugees. That is very few. So, Japan’s recognition system is very strict.”

Third one is “If Japan accepts more refugees, how does Japan’s situation change to?” And same time, I asked 4^th question, “Can you imagine many refugees are in the street, park, and so on?” Especially these questions, I could get good opinions from them. I’m not used to meeting foreigner in Japan. So, I think I feel a sense of incongruity if Japan accepts more refugees and many foreigners are in Japan. After listening my opinion, Miyuki asked me that “even if they can speak Japanese, do you feel a sense of incongruity? If we can communicate with refugees, maybe Japanese situation is not be changed.” I got impressive listening her opinion. I’ve never thought that thing. Shota said “If we can understand refugees’ culture and their sense of value and refugees can understand Japanese’ them, there is no problem to live together. Language is very important.” Miyuki said “In Japan, there are Korean Town and China Town. Maybe almost same! However, if refugees make town where Japanese can’t enter, it is possible that accepting refugees make problems.” She also thinks it is very important to understand their culture and what they want to tell us.

After this discussion, I thought it is very important to study multicultural Japan. I hadn’t learned and tried to study about it. I want to learn multicultural Japan all over again. I’ll research asylum seekers’ sense of incongruity against Japanese culture.