Japan to Support Quasi-Refugees' Settlement

Tokyo, Oct. 20 (Jiji Press)--Japan will offer a settlement support program for evacuees from conflict zones who will be granted quasi-refugee status under a new system to be introduced on Dec. 1, according to the policy for the system's implementation unveiled on Friday. The quasi-refugee system is intended to help those who are not recognized as refugees under the U.N. Refugee Convention, namely evacuees from war-torn Ukraine. From April next year, Japan's Immigration Services Agency plans to implement the settlement support program, under which daytime and evening courses will be offered for learning Japanese language, Japanese laws and the rules of everyday life in Japan. The agency will also provide employment support, mainly through HelloWork job placement offices across the country. The U.N. convention defines refugees as people who could be persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. Currently, the Japanese government allows evacuees from Ukraine, which has been invaded by Russia, to stay in Japan at the discretion of the justice minister as Tokyo does not recognize them as refugees under the U.N. convention. The new system would ensure more stable residency for such evacuees, as those recognized as quasi-refugees will be given permanent residency and allowed to work. As of Oct. 11, Ukrainian evacuees staying in Japan totaled 2,088, according to a preliminary report released by the agency. END