The Japanese Asylum Policies: The Informal Asylum of Syrians in Japan
The Japanese Asylum Policies: The Informal Asylum of Syrians in Japan

Author(s): Yahya Almasri
Subject(s): Migration Studies, Asylum, Refugees, Migration as Policy-fields
Published by: Transnational Press London
Keywords: Syrian; conflict; destruction; displacement; crises; World War II.; war; desperate; safety; approximately; horrors; East Asian archipelago;
Summary/Abstract: The Syrian conflict has caused a massive death toll, destruction, and one of the largest displacement crises since World War II. Since the outbreak of the war, a decade ago, millions of Syrians have embarked on desperate journeys in the hope of restarting their lives in safety. Approximately 6.6million Syrians escaped the horrors of war fleeing to neighboring countries;6.1 million became internally displaced, which is more than half of Syria's population, estimated at 22 million in 2010 (UNHCR 2020). Hundreds of Syrians have settled in Japan, a country with a rigid refugee system that effectively deters both fake and genuine asylum seekers. The refugee recognition rate in Japan has not exceeded 1% since 2011 (Japan Lawyer Network for Refugees 2020). Whether or not it was an informed decision for Syrians to seek protection in the East Asian archipelago, most of them have not applied for refugee status.

• Details
• Contents