Photo: grape Japan
national

Don Quijote offers to welcome 100 Ukranian refugee families

27 Comments
By grape Japan

On Feb 24, Russia invaded Ukraine, and as of today, a fierce war is still raging.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), approximately 1 million people have already fled the country as refugees. Moreover, as reported by NHK News , on March 2, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that Japan would be providing humanitarian assistance, saying: "To show our solidarity with the people of Ukraine, we will accept those who fled from Ukraine to a third country."

In response to the situation, Pan Pacific International Holdings Inc (PPIH), which operates the general discount store chain Don Quijote, announced Thursday that the group and its founder, Takao Yasuda, in agreement with the government's policy, have decided to welcome 100 families of Ukranian refugees that have been certified by the Japanese government. They will also provide these families with financial assistance, as well as support for their livelihood and work opportunities in Japan.

Their statement concludes with the following:

"We hope that many of you will understand our intentions for this project, and that the circle of support for Ukrainian refugees will further expand in the future. We would greatly appreciate your support. The PPIH group will continue to proactively provide humanitarian assistance from a long-term perspective."

Pan Pacific International Holdings Corporation official website

According to Japanese-language comments on social media, many people voiced their support for the company's efforts to help refugees in Ukraine. For example:

"It's a great corporate attitude. They may face difficulties living in Japan due to differences in language, culture, customs, etc., but I hope it will be a situation in which they think to themselves: 'I'm glad I came!'"

"I know there will be many hardships, but if they have a safe place to sleep and eat, I think that alone will be a relief for them."

"It's not easy to do something like that... It brings tears to my eyes. I hope other companies will do the same."

When war breaks out, many people are caught in a whirlwind of anxiety, wondering when the war will end and whether the day will ever come when they can live in peace.

Many also fear that similar wars will break out all over the world.

We can only hope that the war will end as soon as possible and that the day will come when the people of Russia and Ukraine can live in peace.

Read more stories from grape Japan.

-- Cats celebrate Girl’s Day by taking over traditional Japanese doll display

-- Photo of trap stairwell in Japan has Twitter mystified

-- Japanese hobbyist’s stunning “carbon blades” combine sword & lightsaber in futuristic designs

© grape Japan

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

27 Comments
Login to comment

Must be nice being Ukrainian instead of being Syrian.

-2 ( +20 / -22 )

And there you go... that is the number that the government will use... Sure 100 people is better than zero but 100 out of millions is sort of a slap in the face.

-14 ( +7 / -21 )

have decided to welcome 100 families of Ukranian refugees that have been certified by the Japanese government. They will also provide these families with financial assistance, as well as support for their livelihood and work opportunities in Japan.

On the face of it seems wonderful but odd that Don Quijote is the company that steps up to do this out of all the others in Japan.

They should be monitored by the Labor Board to ensure this does not turn into a case of indentured servitude. There have already been too many stories of companies like 7 and I stealing the wages of their immigrant labor.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

Sure 100 people is better than zero but...

Don Quijote offers to welcome 100 Ukranian refugee families

15 ( +19 / -4 )

They will also provide these families with financial assistance, as well as support for their livelihood and work opportunities in Japan.

But will the financial assistance and support be tied to the work opportunities. That conjunction could make a difference.

So they will be in the company housing, working at the company and shopping in the company store?

Talk about a nostalgic revival.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Sure, then turn them into slaves ! No Thank You.

-17 ( +4 / -21 )

@Aly, you mention Syria, and it's true. Where were the offers to Iraqis, Afghans, or from any other victims of war?

Sometimes I just shake my head at the 'all show', jumping on the bandwagon that goes on here.

That's an EXCELLENT point Thomas.

-8 ( +8 / -16 )

The Ukranians DO NOT need come across the ocean to seek refuge, there tens of thousands of places and home available in Europe and the middle east for them to go. easy travel, plenty of space, and most importantly CLOSE TO HOME.

-3 ( +12 / -15 )

Very admirable from Don Quijote, full respect to them for supporting the Ukrainians who may be arriving soon.

I am sure there will be more generosity from corporate Japan and - most importantly - the citizens of Japan, as this humanitarian crisis caused entirely by Russian aggression and terror unfolds.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

I always thought I could live in one of those Don Quijote stores, but this is another level

Honestly, I guess there are quite a few other places around the globe Ukrainians would really feel welcome, but on second thought, it wouldnt hurt to stay in Japan for a while, after all they are what you can really regard as a "refugee": families seeking shelter from an armed conflict back home, ready to go back and rebuild everything as soon as things are back to normal. Dont mix things up.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Must be nice being Ukrainian instead of being Syrian.

The true colors of the world..

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

As far as I am aware the EU is allowing the refugees in but has yet to decide what will happen in the future. The UK has capacity to process 6,000 visa's a day in Poland and is estimating (although they do not really know) as many as 200,000 will acutally end up in England with various types of visa. That is in addition to the HK Chinese and Afghans that already have routes into the country. Poland is basically a massive sorting centre and doing most of the front line stuff.

I expect what is hoped for is a quick ending to the war and for people to move back home. I expect what is being planned for is people being kicked out of Ukraine never to return.

It does appear that the UK are very worried about agents entering and causing havo-chok and therefore are being cautious on who gets to arrive.

As for Japan and its measly intake it is to be expected. It is worth noting that the aging farming communities in Japan could do with an influx of people who already know how to work the land and I woud prefer people to arrive who can actually produce food to people selling tat that is mainly made in china.

It is early days though and I am sure these people just want a safe place to stay and are all hoping to return quickly.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

The Ukranians DO NOT need come across the ocean to seek refuge, there tens of thousands of places and home available in Europe and the middle east for them to go. easy travel, plenty of space, and most importantly CLOSE TO HOME.

The whole truth !!..

That is why I have always said that the vast majority of people who come to Japan to seek asylum are false asylum seekers.

If your life is in danger, you are not going to take 3 planes and go around half the planet, you seek refuge as close as possible, like Europe or the US.

-8 ( +4 / -12 )

@Tliving

If you are in a desperate state you can be exploited by criminals. It is a very established crime now and that is why people have travelled by small boat from France to the UK. These people have travelled from poland-to-germany-to-france to do this and in reality those trips have been orgainsed in poland and germany.

I agree some are tricksters but not all and it is very organised. It takes time and compassion to filter the real victims to the chancers.

It is also worth noting that the EU has dealt with multiple problems around the world and taken in millions of refugees. The US and JAPAN have never been good at taking their fair share. They chuck money at it and then expect others do the heavy lifting.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Seems quite hypocritical when some expats try to gate-keep for their adoptive countries, often quoted with such nausea as : “Japan’s country, Japan’s people, Japan’s culture, Japan’s laws, Japan’s rules … obey, or get out!

@TokyoLiving 10:00am: “The whole truth !!..

That is why I have always said that the vast majority of people who come to Japan to seek asylum are false asylum seekers.” -

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Must be nice being Ukrainian instead of being Syrian.

The true colors of the world

And Japan's. Remember, this article is about JAPAN opening up the borders for Ukrainians- something Japan didn't do for the Syrians.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

Good for those famililes but first Japanese government has to approve them.

By the way what a great marketing for Don Quijote...

5 ( +5 / -0 )

If your life is in danger, you are not going to take 3 planes and go around half the planet, you seek refuge as close as possible, like Europe or the US.

And how would YOU know? Have you ever been in that situation? I would also like to remind you of how many innocent Japanese were given asylum in foreign countries before, during, and after WW2. That's why there is a huge number of Japanese descendants living in South America. The world didn't turn its back on the Japanese when they needed help, but when the shoe was on the other foot, Japan did.

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

Seems quite hypocritical when some expats try to gate-keep for their adoptive countries, often quoted with such nausea as : “Japan’s country, Japan’s people, Japan’s culture, Japan’s laws, Japan’s rules … obey, or get out!

Absolutely!

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

PPIH here winning social brownie points

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@aly rustom,

you should brush up on your history, those Japanese in South America were there way before world war 2.

They wend there becasue of economic hardship in Japan in late 1800 to early 1900.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

This all feels very suss IMO. What does Don Quijote get out of it?

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

This all feels very suss IMO. What does Don Quijote get out of it?

What did they get out of it. They already got the publicity.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites