Asylum seekers in Japan

[thomas]

The L.A. Times on asylum practice in Japan:

Critics call Japan overly stringent on asylum seekers

Of the roughly 1 million asylum seekers worldwide, Japan sheltered only 26 in 2001. That compares with 20,487 in the United States, 17,547 in Germany and 14,410 in Britain.

Japan's government didn't begin taking in even the trickle of refugees until 1982, and its reluctance to put out the welcome mat like other industrialized countries has drawn increased criticism. [...]

The latest Japanese asylum figures, released in March, only highlighted the dour picture. The number of refugees allowed in dropped by nearly half last year to just 14 people from 250 applicants, an acceptance rate of 5.6 percent.

In 2001, the United States took in 34.5 percent of 59,432 applicants, while Canada sheltered 30.3 percent of 44,038. Britain accepted 15.7 percent of 92,000 asylum seekers, and Germany took in 19.9 percent of 88,287.

=> http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20954~1382903,00.html

The Japanese Immigration Bureau

=> Immigration Bureau

 

[Mandylion]

Deplorable but not surprising considering the conservative and insular nature of the political establishment. With Japan’s falling birthrate and looming labor shortage, they might want to rethink all immigration policies so as to make Japan a more attractive place to invest your future. Foreign folks amount to, what, 1% of the population now? Not good enough to stave of further economic decline...