Japan Immigration News

Sealed Report on Refugee Claims of Some Kurds Raises Questions

Release Date: 2024-12-03
Media: JAPAN Forward
Summary: The article discusses the 2004 investigation by Japan’s Immigration Bureau (now the Immigration Services Agency) into Kurdish villages in southern Turkey. This investigation was conducted due to the large number of Kurds from these areas seeking refugee status in Japan, particularly in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture. The findings suggested that many Kurdish applicants were not fleeing persecution but were economic migrants seeking better livelihoods, as some villages showed improved living standards from migrant labor in Japan.

The report identified three southern Turkish provinces—Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, and Adiyaman—as origins for 80% of Turkish refugee applicants in Japan, describing these villages as "migrant worker villages." However, the ministry faced backlash for its methods, including sharing applicant names with Turkish authorities and involving Turkish gendarmes in the investigation, which raised fears of exposing applicants to persecution. Advocacy groups and the Japan Federation of Bar Associations criticized these practices as human rights violations. In 2017, the Federation issued a warning to the Justice Ministry, resulting in the report being sealed.

Between 2004 and 2024, Japan received 12,287 refugee applications from Turkish nationals, mostly Kurds, but only four applicants were recognized as refugees. Despite the low approval rate, the Turkish population in Kawaguchi City increased significantly, including many on provisional release pending refugee status decisions. The controversy highlights Japan’s restrictive refugee recognition system and its handling of Kurdish applicants.
Tags: Kurdish,Refugee Status

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