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© 2017 AFPSix N Korean crew members to be deported
By - TOKYO©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
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© 2017 AFP
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Jandworld
What a lonely neighborhood!
OssanAmerica
North Korean defectors face racism even in South Korea. At least in Japan maybe they can get help from the Chongryon.
Goodlucktoyou
They will face a lot of racism here. Best to just buy their squid for a cheap price.
OssanAmerica
The haven't. They've asked to be returned to North Korea.
Ex_Res
If Japan has signed up to the United Nations Convention for Refugees, surely Japan has an obligation to consider any request for refugee status for these fishermen. Assuming of course they have asked for asylum.
OssanAmerica
Seems many people have forgotten that these men requested that they be returned to NK. Whether they meant it or simply said it to ensure they won't eventually get punished in NK, who knows? But from J-Immigration's point of view they have no grounds to detain them. They haven't asked for asylum, either in Japan or South Korea. I'm sure all the intell one could get out of a squid fisherman on a wooden boat has already been obtained. It's not like they were officers on a NK submarine.
BeerDeliveryGuy
Because of the recent developments in NK. It’s just a trending news topic. It was focused on the news when the boats first started appearing, but became commonplace and boring.
gaijintraveller
If dozens of North Korean vessels wash up on Japan's coast every year, why didn't we hear about it last year or the year before? There must be a reason. What is it? Does this support Abe's desire to increase the military budget?
BeerDeliveryGuy
They will probably be deported via Beijing, like most illegal NKoreans if their ship is not seaworthy.
These people are not refugees. They did not intend to come to Japan, but commited crimes of opportunity and caused millions in damage when they did.
They are demanding to be sent home. What else are the Japanese authorities to do?
If they kept them in Japan, they would probably be accused of abduction.
BeerDeliveryGuy
They were demanding to be sent back while they were tethered to a CG boat waiting for repairs.
They refused to go to a port, but the CG eventually gave in to the police who requested they be sent to land to be arrested.
M3M3M3
I'm sure they have wives, children back home in North Korea so I can understand why they want to return. What would you do if someone offered you a lavish lifestyle but you would never be able to contact your loved ones again? I probably wouldn't take it either. A very difficult situation.
Jandworld
outrageous to send them back.
South Korea should have a word in this case. Its not for JP to decide where to to expel the intruders.
They are not really pirates, are they?
Wakarimasen
Give them jobs in a pachinko parlor. Sending them back is probably to a fate worse than death.
Simian Lane
how bout feed them head first to some higuma and send the video file to Kim attached to an e-xmas card.
sakurala
Even if they wanted to stay, I think that they would decline because of what may happen to their families or relatives if they didn't return. It's sad that they may be killed upon their return but I hope they are spared.
Cricky
Refuge status? If they got it that's eating into the 11 spots available. Best to just go to UNIDY get them a set of doorknobs a toaster oven a compass and let them go home. They are lucky Aso San didn't shoot them, Best to be returned to a totalitarian regime then remain in a fictitious democracy.
bosphorus
They probably have families in NK, so it could be difficult for them to apply for a refugee status in Japan, leaving their loved ones behind.
Aly Rustom
One possible outcome is that Japan could try and ask the South if it would take them- that is if immigration cares at all about the lives of these men, which I'll bet an arm and a leg they don't
maybeperhapsyes
Poor guys. If we send them back, they will be grilled for any information they have, and then probably executed.
Kim wont take the chance that they have been turned and could potentially send info back to their "handlers" in Japan.
Just a thought.
TorafusuTorasan
@Tokyo-Engr, sorry but the police are just following protocol when dealing with nationals from a country with no diplomatic leverage in this country. The wayward fishermen have already been interviewed, fed, cleared of wrongdoing, etc. Some of their more problematic compatriots are going to be detained longer, at the expense of taxpayers, but that is also not the "decent life" of settling down in Japan that you are envisioning as they will have to head home after their sentences are served.
Tokyo-Engr
These men were probably so desperate they would have taken anything (well they did - a door knob). I do not always defend Japan but also I think there is far too much criticism sometimes.
In this case I think Japan is making a bad move. Interview these men, get as much human intelligence as possible from them, take them out to some nice yakiniku dinners, etc. and then decide if they should be deported. Best situation they can stay in Japan and live a decent life. Worst case is they end up getting deported with a knowledge of what life is really like in foreign countries. Of course this would likely lead to their execution.
Humane thing to do is to at least give these guys a shot at making a life here. I really like Japan and enjoy living here but Japan does not always do the humane thing (in my mind).
DaDude
How do you deport them? Throw them on a boat and tell them to go that way?