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Still a Negative Case? Japan's Changing Refugee Policy in the Face of New Geopolitical Challenges

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2025

Maximilien Xavier Rehm
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Abstract

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Despite being a party to the Refugee Convention since 1981, Japan has historically admitted very few asylum seekers. However, recently the country's total protection rate has increased, from 2.3% in 2020 to 52% in 2022. This article explores this seemingly dramatic shift in Japan's refugee policy, tying the increased rate of asylum admissions to the country's broader foreign policy in the face of recent geopolitical challenges in Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Ukraine, while outlining the diverging pathways of admission utilized in each case.

Keywords

Japanese Refugee PolicyJapanese Foreign PolicyNegative Cases
Type
Research Article
Information
Asia-Pacific Journal , Volume 22 , Issue 6 , June 2024 , e2
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2024

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