10 Afghan evacuees arrive in Japan; more expected to come

Now it will be interesting to see if Japan actually gives them refugee status and allows them to stay in the country.

With Japan's extremely poor record with accepting refugees, I will bet they try to push them out to some other country!

Nan means: Difficult, impossible, trouble, defect, accident. Then add Min which means: People or nation. The word itself is negative to the extreme

難民 nanmin ‘people in trouble, people who have suffered hardship’. A simple description, inviting sympathy and understanding. Any extreme negativity is surely in the eye of the biased beholder.

Strangeland I was sarcastic.

Japan has the worst record of welcoming refugees among G7 countries, and actually among developed economies.

Most importantly, it is the ONLY country in which the percentage of Asylum seekers (95%) is higher than that of actual refugees (5%). That means 95% of the - very few - refugees hosted by Japan are actually detained in asylum seekers centers, with no rights and 1% chances of seeing their application approved (UNHCR data, you can download their application if curious).

In ALL other countries in the world, from Germany to Colombia, the number of refugees is much higher than asylum seekers because those countries - all - aim at integrating them in the society, not at parking them in prison until the court says they can send them back to their countries or to other hosting nations. It’s a shame.

Let me help you out with the data: There are only 1,137 people in Japan having had their refugees application approved and therefore having the right to live in the country. 23,675 people are waiting for the decision on they asylum request.

With half the population of Japan, France hosts 436,100 refugees, almost 400 times more. Germany hosts 1,200,000 refugees, over a thousand times more.

Of course they deserve help. I criticize Japan for showing the arrival of four (4!) possible refugees - who might be sent back anytime - as a great effort.

Post by Zichi. “What about their families. These are ten single males”

Good point. Nobody comments?

"This article reads strange. Are these native Afghans or are they Japanese nationals who were merely working in Afghanistan?"

"group of people from Afghanistan to take refuge in Japan following the Taliban's return to power in mid-August."

Some have trouble with simple interpretation.

The wording of this article makes me wonder. Simply "evacuees." No mention of "asylum," "refugees" or "settlement" or "sponsors."

Maybe Japan is planning on issuing 2 year visas, like the Iraqis a few years ago, or on shuffling them on to Western countries.

Planned to evacuate: 500

Evacuated: 15

Made it to Pakistan: 10

Arrived in Japan : 4 (a JICA local staff and 3 family members - pictures on Japanese media show one woman and two children apparently below the age of 12, yes technically both male kids)

Japan looks on the right path to take in charge and singlehandedly solve the refugees problem worldwide.

Of all the places to seek asylum, Japan is literally the last place to go to. Their record of accepting asylum seekers is beyond abysmal. I feel sorry for these evacuees who came to Japan for sanctuary - the government will probably use them as a PR stunt before handing them off to another country.

Ten people. Ten.

Post by Zichi. “What about their families. These are ten single males”

Good point. Nobody comments?

Not sure what to comment on, the article doesn't say anything about them all being males, yet it does say something about bringing families:

The four were a local worker of the Japan International Cooperation Agency in Afghanistan and family members, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Qatar is probably the best place to host an embassy for the region. Afghanistan has imploded and Pakistan is about to implode. The remaining countries are either hostile to Afghanistanis or also about to implode themselves. India is no longer a friend of the Muslim world.

There was always going to be a large scale migration crisis as the Middle East implodes due to the economic crisis caused by the pandemic, but I guess the face of the crisis will be the Afghanis. There is not a single appetite in places like the UK to accept the refugees.

the SDF had only evacuated one Japanese as well as 14 Afghans at the request of the United States.

At US request? Meaning Japan has no intention to welcome the Afghans. I thought so.

So they’re all dudes? Really?

@zichi

Could you try to always post link when you quote it will be easier for people to follow, thank in advance.

If I get it right, the 14 Afghan evacuee by JSDF were not for Japan but for the US.

https://japantoday.com/category/national/update1-some-10-afghan-evacuation-seekers-enter-pakistan-to-head-for-japan

One can imagine that, Afghan staff when told they will need to abandon their family choose not to. I think these 10 people are people which actually decided to make their way out of the country on their own so that they can bring their family with them and are now seeking assistance to relocate.

Thanks for the Nikkei article and link. It is quite depressing. In one hand, you have several countries trying to evacuate people which worked for them and also people they think at risk, like athletes, artists, ... in the aim to resettle them if they which, in Japan we have :

"The government as a whole will need to consider" whether to accept Afghan refugees, Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa had told reporters on Friday. She said Japan will not deport Afghans against their will for the time being.

Not a lot of option left for them in Japan,

They are/were employed by a Japanese company.

They probably have a lot more going for them than many usual foreigners when they first arrived here

This article reads strange. Are these native Afghans or are they Japanese nationals who were merely working in Afghanistan?

Nan means: Difficult, impossible, trouble, defect, accident.

In this case, it's the nan used in 避難 (ひなん), evacuation. So it would refer to evacuated people, not specifically to their difficulty. Different meaning of the word.

Afghans always have several children, so many families would 10 people make?

So what is the point? Families could also mean, UNMARRIED with their mothers, fathers, grandparents and maybe siblings.

Dont assume that's it just children!

It would be such a happy ending to hear Japan was offering refugee status and a guarantee to live as a permanent resident in Japan, but instead we see they are "going to take the appropriate steps" if they request to stay here, which means detainment and deportment, likely back to the Taliban, but only after saying, "We've checked with the Taliban and they've assured us no harm will come to the people who fled and are sent back against their will."

First batch... 4 people!

Editor: Story has been updated to report number of evacuees.

Any chance of you putting a timestamp on your update in future please? Maybe also noting the previous version so as to stop some of the confusion?

@seth I lived ten years in France, worked with refugees organizations in Belgium, Thailand, Korea, the US, Kenya, Rwanda, Greece and of course Italy, where I come from and where also many problems exist on the issue. Now I live in Japan because my son lives here, I love many, many things in the country but when it comes to migrant workers, asylum seekers and refugees Japan is simply living in the Feudal era.

The Japanese Self-Defense Forces were dispatched to the region to evacuate around 500 people wishing to leave Afghanistan.

By the end of the evacuation mission on Aug 31, the SDF had only evacuated one Japanese as well as 14 Afghans at the request of the United States.

Plan is to evacuate 500 people at the end it only evacuate 15 people? Mission success?

The Japanese government set up a temporary office of its Kabul embassy in Qatar on Sept 1 that is expected to be responsible for evacuation support.

Support people from a 1,800 Km distance?

They were in a hurry to get out of harms way that’s how the JSD works

all previous data indicates that they will adjust just fine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1tKrVVg8hg&ab_channel=LiamLiam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TgcStq7v4s&t=2s&ab_channel=PoliticalCorrectness

You can censure all you want, this is real and it isn't going away... and nothing racist or hateful about it...

But the Jt crew will probably censure it, posing as the moral compass of an entire nation. what a laughable bunch

Censuring hate is fine... No hate here... Im pro immigration...

Pathetic but not surprising. Refugee in Japanese is Nanmin (難民). Nan means: Difficult, impossible, trouble, defect, accident. Then add Min which means: People or nation. The word itself is negative to the extreme and symbolic of Japan's isolationist ideals.

People also confuse Refugees with Migrant Workers who displace themselves and enter other countries in order to find work. Refugees are people who escape from their country due to war, persecution, and natural disasters. There is some overlap sometimes and sometimes sympathize with Migrant Workers but most are not Refugees.

PerformingMonkeyToday  10:55 am JST

Pathetic but not surprising. Refugee in Japanese is Nanmin (難民). Nan means: Difficult, impossible, trouble, defect, accident. Then add Min which means: People or nation. The word itself is negative to the extreme and symbolic of Japan's isolationist ideals.

Try and pass at least N2 before you lecture us on the etymology of Japanese words.

I have. Speak for yourself. Or do you know me? LOL!

I've talked to a lot of Japanese about Refugees and the negative attitude towards them was expressed by them and they themselves admitted that the word doesn't do them any favors.

On what ground are we taking them in, again?

Off they go to a third country.

Therefore, no burden on the Japanese taxpayer.

I did a one year Contract at the base in Qatar where everyone flying out of Kabul landed first.

Ironically this was originally a Clandestine base for Bombing the Taliban.

Post by Zichi. “What about their families. These are ten single males”

Good point. Nobody comments?

Four JICA workers and their families

The four were a local worker of the Japan International Cooperation Agency in Afghanistan and family members, according to a person familiar with the matter.

@Michael Machida This article reads strange. Are these native Afghans or are they Japanese nationals who were merely working in Afghanistan? By the end of the evacuation mission on Aug. 31, the SDF had only evacuated one Japanese as well as 14 Afghans at the request of the United States.

louisferdinandcToday 09:46 am JST

With half the population of Japan, France hosts 436,100 refugees, almost 400 times more. Germany hosts 1,200,000 refugees, over a thousand times more.

Is that why you choose to live in Japan instead of France or Germany?

Also the original article didn't specify that 10 individuals arrived in Japan, merely that the 4 workers were among the 10 that left Afghanistan on their own and went to (Pakistan?)

Not a lot of option left for them in Japan, First there is no assistance with learning Japanese. The only assistance is with accommodation expenses. I assume they have to obtain on their own place to live which will be impossible. Then try to learn the transport system which would be a night mare for a person who grow up in Kabul. Then try to get work and only one of the family knowing a little Japanese. I assume this family will soon seek another country to settle in. A month I say.

It could be 10, 100, or a 1000 people-it is still not enough…

Japan doing their part to help. - Also, agree with @Harry_Gatto on his 3:36pm point to the authors/editor. It would help users later in the day to not overreact and condemn the first posters for what limited information they with the preliminary edition of the story. Some Moderators conscientiously put a note with a time stamp within the thread.

@Harry_Gatto 3:36pm: [Editor: Story has been updated.] “Any chance of you putting a timestamp on your update in future please? Maybe also noting the previous version so as to stop some of the confusion?

I hope but very much doubt that they know what they are doing, as it also everywhere else starts with something like ‘only ten people’.

StrangerlandToday  10:25 am JST

There are several meanings and usages of the kanji. Most are all negative.

But only one of those meanings is applicable to this context:

Only one refers to displaced.

So the others aren't relevant.

This is merely your interpretation and opinion nothing else. The prevailing poor attitude towards them and government policies say something else.

StrangerlandToday  11:18 am JST

This is merely your interpretation and opinion nothing else.

How is that any different from your interpretation and opinion of the etymology of it?

But as far as it goes, you gave a kanji that has multiple different translations to English, that vary based on context. One of those meanings, displaced, fits the idea of a refugee, who is a displaced person. The other meanings do not fit the context, and yet, you concluded that 'displaced' being the accurate meaning is somehow only my opinion, as if the facts aren't laid out right there for you and everyone else to see.

I said that the Japanese I've talked to felt the same way.. That's it's not interpreted just one way and there is a negative meaning for some.

So because of multiple meanings of which most are negative, there is more than one way it's interpreted by people. You're the one saying that there is only ONE way it can be interpreted. Typical.

Good for Japan.

So much for all them "experts" claiming Japan wouldn't help any of these Afghans who worked with them over in Afghanistan.

These Afghans will be very grateful to Japan.

In this case, it's the nan used in 避難 (ひなん), evacuation. So it would refer to evacuated people, not specifically to their difficulty. Different meaning of the word.

There are several meanings and usages of the kanji. Most are all negative. Only one refers to displaced. The most common is muzukashii. If people interpreted it as only displaced, the prevailing attitudes toward them would be different and more would be allowed into the country, Japan has one of the worst acceptance levels among G20 nations for a reason.

There are several meanings and usages of the kanji. Most are all negative.

But only one of those meanings is applicable to this context:

Only one refers to displaced.

So the others aren't relevant.

I hope that they appreciate Japan as a Welcoming Nation and do not turn against us.

This is merely your interpretation and opinion nothing else.

How is that any different from your interpretation and opinion of the etymology of it?

But as far as it goes, you gave a kanji that has multiple different translations to English, that vary based on context. One of those meanings, displaced, fits the idea of a refugee, who is a displaced person. The other meanings do not fit the context, and yet, you concluded that 'displaced' being the accurate meaning is somehow only my opinion, as if the facts aren't laid out right there for you and everyone else to see.

Not a lot of option left for them in Japan,

Really? They have any and all options, even shopping halal and going to a mosque already next Friday and continuing here whatever unchecked or unknown they have done there. Not even a reason for reading station time tables. They just blow the station up in the worst case, so there’s nothing unknown to read left. I don’t estimate it, of course not, but I also wouldn’t completely exclude it.

Awful news. Japan cleaning up US's mistakes.

It did in a Mainichi article

Why are you quoting a Mainichi article in this one? It's making this article confusing, since you're quoting other articles without mentioning they aren't this article, and you're not linking to the other article.

Open Your Heart Japan, ""the less that you give you are a taker""

Japan looks on the right path to take in charge and singlehandedly solve the refugees problem worldwide.

I don't get it, are you saying they should have left these people behind? Why are you criticizing them for helping these people?

The article is a bit confusing.

"10 Afghans, local staff at Japan's agencies in Afghanistan and or their families, have left the country and entered neighbouring Pakistan by land on their own"

That's not what the article says.

louisferdinandc

With half the population of Japan, France hosts 436,100 refugees, almost 400 times more. Germany hosts 1,200,000 refugees, over a thousand times more."

With great results... France is already gone, Germany is on its way... I don't think you will be able to convince anybody that sticks to facts... You might get the occasional emotional unicorn pinhead,but other than that , it sounds ridiculous... As if France and Germany were models to build on... Laughable...

Japan is the last civilized place on Earth...

Strangeland I was sarcastic.

But you seem to be criticizing them for helping these people. Are you of the opinion that these people should have been helped, and Japan did a good job in doing so, or are you saying these people shouldn't have been helped, and Japan did a bad thing in helping them?

Of course they deserve help. I criticize Japan for showing the arrival of four (4!) possible refugees - who might be sent back anytime - as a great effort.

Where did the Japanese say it was a great effort? I don't see anything in the article about that.