February 2012
11 posts
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Record high no. of refugee applications filed with... →
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MOJ releases 2011 asylum application statistics →
Report in Japanese
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New Komeito MPs visit RHQ →
New Komeito’s (a Japanese centre-right party) Refugee Policy Project Team visited Refugee Assistance Headquarters (RHQ) Settlement Support Centre in Tokyo where resettled refugees undergo a linguistic and cultural orientation programme. The team included MPs Kiyohiko Toyama (a PhD holder in Peace Studies), Masaaki Taniai (a former AMDA staff), and Hirotaka Ishikawa (a former MOFA official).
...
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Human security starts at home →
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Japan receives fewer resettlement applications
The media reports that Japan has only received resettlement applications from two families this year - a total of 10 persons, of which 9 were interviewed by Japanese government officials on 15 February. Japan had set a quota of 90 refugees to be resettled from Thai refugee camps for 2010-2012. This means that even if all the applicants this year are accepted, Japan will only use about 60% of of...
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Myanmar refugees receives info on Japan's... →
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Sukiya operator aids famine relief in East Africa →
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Government exchanges opinions with NPOs on...
In December 2011 and January 2012, Japanese government and some related NPOs exchanged opinions on refugee resettlement programme which is currently in place as a three-year pilot project. The discussions held in those sessions are not publicly released. However, the content of the presentation (in Japanese) made by the deputy director of Forum for Refugees Japan (FRJ), Hiroaki Ishii, is available...
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Memorandum on tripartite collaboration in... →
In Japanese only
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Japan signs memo to shorten detention for asylum... →
January 2012
8 posts
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Public Relations Office calls for public's support... →
In Japanese
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Acts of crime during RSD process - bogus asylum... →
Article in Japanese
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2011: Number of foreign nationals entering Japan...
The Japanese Ministry of Justice announced that the number of foreign nationals entering Japan in 2011 was 7.14 million, a decrease of 2.31 million from the previous year. The number of those leaving the country was 16.99 million, an increase of 0.36 million.
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Japanese clothing retail giant helps refugees in... →
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Japan mulls steps to protect N. Korean refugees in... →
Article in English
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Refugees deprived of "human dignity" →
Original article in Japanese
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Three 'North Koreans' found off Japan →
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Municipalities to help protect North Korean... →
Original article in Japanese
December 2011
5 posts
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Hiroshima to welcome refugees as farm successors →
Original article in Japanese with a video clip.
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Jinsekikogencho invites refugees →
Original article in Japanese
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Tokodai's refusal to accept Iranian refugee... →
Original article in Japanese
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N. Korean defectors to get no help / Govt promises... →
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Boat people: Interview with former RHQ staff →
(Original report in Japanese)
November 2011
17 posts
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Refugee Resettlement: Compassionate Support →
Shinano Mainichi Shimbun reports that there is a need for a compassionate support for resettled refugees, who have faced various problems since their arrival in Japan. Those who gave up their work in agriculture earlier this year are now considering working in factories in urban areas. The article asserts that it is only natural that refugees change their mind after their arrival in the...
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Prof Yamawaki's Report on Migrant Cities... →
Professor Yamawaki of Meiji University writes a report on the Migrant Cities Conference which took place on 8th November in Iida. He notes that it was the first time that a participating city dealt with a specific case study at the conference. (Report in Japanese)
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Myanmar president eyes better ties →
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House of Councillors passes resolution →
(Original Article in Japanese)
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An ugly decision →
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No plans to charge officers in death of Ghanaian... →
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UNHCR hails Japan aid despite disaster, seeks help... →
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Resolution regarding refugee protection
A resolution regarding refugee protection and solutions to refugee issues was passed by a vote in the Lower House plenary session on 17th November. “We will show commitment to durable solutions to refugee issues around the world and improvement in quality of refugee protection,” Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said. The full account of the resolution is found below.
This year marks the...
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High Court rules Chinese woman with permanent... →
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Why are refugees complaining? (opinion) →
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Skater Mervin Tran mulls turning Japanese →
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'Calamity' awaits those unready for climate-change... →
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Migrant Cities Conference in Iida →
On 8th November, 28 cities took part in Migrant Cities Conference hosted by Iida city. Oizumi city gave a report on their distribution of information for foreigners during the planned power cut period following the March 11 triple disaster, while Suzuka city talked about their experience of welcoming Burmese refugees resettled to Japan under the third-country resettlement programme. (original...
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Karen refugees snub farm, try luck in Tokyo →
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Japan faces uphill challenge in receiving Myanmar... →
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MOJ releases first report on immigration detention... →
On 25 October, the Japanese Ministry of Justice released its first report on immigration detention centre inspections conducted by the Immigration Detention Center Visiting Committee, which was established in July 2010. The report compiles remarks made by the members of the committee for each detention or removal centre and responses received. It indicates whether issues raised have been resolved...
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Newly arrived resettled refugees attend refugee... →
Burmese refugees who arrived in Japan in September attended an annual refugee association event on 23rd October, where refugees residing in Japan including Indo-Chinese refugees gave cultural dance performances. The newly arrived refugees expressed their wish to participate in the event in the future. (Original report in Japanese)
October 2011
23 posts
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Japan to accept Burmese refugees from Umpiem camp →
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Discounts and time off work: how Japan is battling... →
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Refugee Status Application: Process significantly...
The Japanese Ministry of Justice announces every three months the amount of time taken to process refugee status applications. The latest figures show that the application process has been significantly reduced; by nearly two thirds compared to this time last year.
2011
July-Sept: 4.7 months
April-June: 5.7 months
Jan-March: 10.3 months
2010
Oct-Dec: 14.4 months
July-Sept: 12.6 months
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Kyodo News Recommendations for Resettlement...
Japan Association for Refugees (JAR) has summarised the recommendations made by Kyodo News on 3rd October as follows (follow the link for JAR’s original summary with more details in Japanese):
Collaboration between public and private sectors - Local authorities should get more involved with the process of resettlement particularly after the 6-month training programme. What seems like the...
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Promoting Diversity in Japan →
Dual-citizenship as a step towards diversity?
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Japan: Land of the setting sun →
An interesting FT report on Japanese demography.
“Amid prospects of a declining workforce population, we must improve the employment rate of young people, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities,” Noda said.
Many parents have fewer children than they would like out of worries about the expense. Officials estimate that removing such concerns could raise the fertility rate to around...
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Resettled refugees told to contact interpreters... →
Refugee Assistance Headquarters have allegedly advised resettled refugees not to contact ethnic communities or anyone other than their interpreters. (Original Article in Japanese)
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Immigration control to be simpler, quicker →
“Unmanned automated gates”
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25 million immigrants by 2020: MOJ to establish... →
MOJ Press Release in Japanese