In the year 2014, Japan accepted 11 refugees seeking asylum in Japan out of over 5000 applicants. A shocking acceptance rate of 0.2%. Which means it’s more likely for a woman to die of esophageal cancer than be admitted into Japan under refugee conditions.
I believe that Japan should accept more foreign refugees in order to help and be helped by them.
To start with, Japan must be more assistive towards humanity as a whole. In fact, I’m surprised that there even is the option of refusing the majority of refugees who apply. These people, disregarding countries of origin, are here because they all have a reason that made them escape their home countries. It doesn’t matter if they are from Myanmar, Syria, Somalia, Mongol, or Europe. When we refuse these refugees, where are they supposed to go? Certainly not back where they used to be. Refugees are not asking us to provide the lives of rich men. They are asking for the bare minimum to live: a roof over their heads and food enough not to starve. These people aren’t unwilling to work, either. They wanted to work and live at their homes, but conflict has made that impossible. If we don’t take them in, their only choice would be to enter illegally. Which will lead to an increase in criminal activity, creating a new market for various mafia. What we must do now is not to patrol the borders more strictly; we have to give help to the refugees who very much need and deserve it.
Accepting Refugees into our country is not just for the benefit of the refugees. Japan can also get quite the help from them. We all know that the population of Japan is steeply leaning towards the senior end, and not enough young people are here to support the ever-increasing horde of elderlies. What wonders could a motivated, able group do for us? At the UN general assembly held in New York on September, 2015, prime minister Abe stated that “I would say that before accepting immigrants or refugees, we need to have more activities by women, elderly people, and we must raise our birth rate.” I’m almost positive that raising the birth rate exponentially and women becoming active in society don’t really go hand in hand. We need an alternative. Which is basically what Mr. Abe ruled out in his first phrase. Jobs? We can provide them. Half the shops in Tokyo have the workers wanted leaflets up and elderly farmers are complaining about having no heir every chance they get. Why not give the refugees a chance?
Japan must accept more foreign refugees and grant them asylum. It’s an obligation as humanity to give assistance to those in need, especially when it’s very possible. Also, as the old saying goes, our acceptance is not only for the refugees. We need them for the future of Japan.