Refugees Flooding Into Japan

[Mulboyne]

Yomiuri: Refugee status applications exceed 1,000 for 1st time
The number of applicants for refugee status in the nation reached 1,015 as of early September, the most applications in one year since the system to grant asylums began in 1982, according to a nonprofit organization supporting the refugees. The Tokyo-based Japan Association for Refugees, which offers support to the applicants, said it was the first time the number exceeded 1,000. The previous record was in 2006, with 954 applications. Behind the rapid rise is believed to be an increase of politically unstable nations, particularly in Asia. With more applicants slowing down the application process, the association said the central government should take swift action to address the problem...The annual number of applicants nearly tripled to 147 in 1996 from the previous year, and has remained in the hundreds ever since...One of the reasons for the increase is that European nations and the United States have strengthened immigration controls, mainly due to terrorism concerns. The association estimates that at least 1,500 applicants are waiting for the immigration authorities' decisions, due to the longer examination period...more...

I like the suggestion that Japan is getting the world's unwanted refugees. You can see a PDF file of UNHCR data for Japan between 1996 and 2005 here. The relevant statistics for this piece are in section three.

[Behan]

Wow, 1000 refugee applicants when Japan only has a population of over 120 million. The floodgates are about to burst.
Just think of the chaos if they let them all in.

[bolt_krank]

I'm sure they get treated so well there too....

[Greji]

Wow, 1000 refugee applicants when Japan only has a population of over 120 million. The floodgates are about to burst.
Just think of the chaos if they let them all in.

They will have to be able to pass an ear wax check....