Japan Immigration News

Refugee claims for fast-track rejection surge under ‘Zero Plan’

Release Date: 2026-03-30
Media: The Asahi Shimbun
Summary: Japan’s Immigration Services Agency launched the “Zero Illegal Foreign Residents Plan for the Safety and Security of People in Japan” in May 2025 to accelerate refugee screening and increase deportations. Under this policy, the number of asylum applications classified as “Category B”—cases deemed clearly not meeting the Refugee Convention criteria—rose about twentyfold in 2025.

Applications placed in Category B are typically rejected without interviews and without granting provisional residence status during the review process. The government justifies this approach as a response to repeated applications filed to prolong stays, and it is also using rules that allow deportation after a third application to speed up removals.

While deportations have reached record levels, refugee recognition remains very low, with only 187 people approved in 2025. Advocacy groups have raised concerns that the process lacks transparency and risks rejecting genuine asylum seekers without proper individual assessment.

These stricter measures are being implemented at a time when Japan’s foreign resident population has surpassed 4 million, highlighting a broader tightening of immigration control.
Tags: Illegal Stay,Refugee Recognition

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