Japan had 19,628 applications for asylum in 2017. It accepted 20.
Yes, that’s right.
20.
And 2017 wasn’t an anomaly in terms of the number of asylum applicants accepted— here are the stats for the past 10 years:
2017 saw the highest number of applicants ever, with a remarkable 80% increase from the previous year.
Where do these applicants come from?
82 countries, but mainly the Philippines (4,895), Vietnam (3,116), Sri Lanka (2,226), Indonesia (2,038), Nepal (1,450), Turkey (1,195), Myanmar (962), Cambodia (772), India (601) and Pakistan (469).
And the 20 who were granted refugee status?
Countries including Egypt, Syria, and Afghanistan.
Among the many applicants who didn’t make the cut last year, there are people who risked their lives to flee violence, conflict, persecution, and all kinds of other unspeakable horrors.
Many come to Japan looking for a safe haven, but are let down by bureaucracy and apathy. And they may have no choice but to go back, to potentially life-threatening situations.
And going forward, the number of asylum applications in Japan seems set to continue its upward trend...
So, clearly, something needs to change.
Enter, Sayaka “Jess” Watanabe.
A truly indomitable and vivacious character, Sayaka is the Co-Founder and Director of the Tokyo-based nonprofit ‘WELgee’ (WELCOME + refugee).
“Don’t talk ABOUT refugees, talk WITH refugees”
Their motto encompasses the group’s commitment to fostering an inclusive environment for all, regardless of nationality, faith, or socioeconomic status.
Sayaka started WELgee a few years ago to:
- Connect asylum-seekers with homestay experiences, as a way to build relationships with Japanese people and experience the Japanese way of life.
- Provide accommodation in “shared houses” for those struggling to find shelter.
- Match highly skilled and educated asylum-seekers with training and job opportunities.
She wants to change the perception of refugees from those who are in need of help to those who can actively participate and contribute to society.
Many of them are highly educated and multi-lingual. Budding entrepreneurs. Programmers. Doctors. Teachers.
At the core, she believes that these newcomers to Japan are filled with passion and talent, and have the ability to add value and contribute to society through their wide range of perspectives, skills, and experiences.
Her story was featured by French media agency, Brut:
Sayaka was a speaker at Social Innovation Japan’s first event in May 2017, where she shared her story and explained why it is so important to support those who are often overlooked and marginalized by society.
She discussed the challenges that asylum seekers often face after arriving in country, and what people can do to help; from serving as host families, to providing language support, to even just being there as a friend.
And while the issue is often a source of criticism from the outside world, it often evades the spotlight within Japan itself. “People don’t really have any image of refugees in Japan”, says Sayaka. “And this has to change”.
In March 2018, her efforts to create a more inclusive Japan were recognised on the international stage, when she won the prestigious INCO Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Paris.
With this momentum propelling them forward, the organisation continues to go from strength to strength, taking on bigger challenges.
Most recently, WELgee organised a “co-creation day”, where asylum-seekers pitched their business ideas to a large audience of students and professionals. Teams were then formed around these ideas to provide feedback and flesh out the concepts, providing fertile grounds for new refugee-led businesses.
And with these kinds of new and creative approaches, they are empowering those who are ‘invisible’ to society, and slowly pushing for more systemic change.
Currently, the number of refugees across the globe is the highest it has been since the end of the Second World War. Every minute, 20 people are uprooted from their homes.
This ongoing humanitarian crisis, combined with the increasing mobility of people across borders, means that a) the work of groups like WELgee is more important than ever before, and b) the issue of refugees and asylum-seekers in Japan will grow only more significant with time.
And with a declining population and an urgent need for young, talented workers, perhaps this “problem” can be an unexpected opportunity for Japan.
Perhaps this can be a chance to take a step back and reassess the immigration debate. To do some serious soul-searching. To have an open and honest conversation about what it means to be “Japanese”, and what lies ahead for Japanese society in an era of unprecedented inter-connectedness.
What lies ahead for Japan, and for the many asylum-seekers who arrive on its doorstep every year? Only time will tell.
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