Do you think Ukrainians who have come to Japan because of the Russian invasion of their homeland should be referred to as "evacuees" or "refugees." In Japan, "refugees" can be granted long-term residency, while "evacuees" are viewed as people who will eventually have to leave.

Kumagaijin

What happens if they aren't allowed back in? Like the Palestinians that wanted to return home, but the Israelis wouldn't let them return and their homes and land was stolen. Russia could do the same.

Why would Russia decide whether or not Ukrainians would be allowed back in Ukraine?

I'm fine with "evacuee". But, if their "temporary" stay ends up being years long, it should apply towards Permanent Resident status, if they wish to apply, just like the time from long-term visas would.

Tom says:

But......they don't have to live like a refugee.....

What happens if they aren't allowed back in? Like the Palestinians that wanted to return home, but the Israelis wouldn't let them return and their homes and land was stolen. Russia could do the same.

I chose evacuees because they're white, blond and blue-eyed.

Do you think Ukrainians who have come to Japan because of the Russian invasion of their homeland should be referred to as "evacuees" or "refugees."

I would say that should be their choice and they should be granted refugee status if they apply for it.

They arrive as evacuees. If they want to stay they have to apply for refugee status.

Not like the government is looking at online polls (especially if they're not in Japanese) to see what it should do.

But the wording matters very little. Right now, they're using the word 避難民, translated as 'evacuee', because accepting 'refugees' would make the LDP's nationalist base lose their marbles. I mean, the government refuses to call Asian workers 'immigrants', suggesting that anyone not 100% Japanese is, at best, a tolerated guest.

Japan, just like every developed country, has benefited greatly from free movement of capital and goods, exploiting poorer countries for their resources and cheap labour (often just a euphemism for slavery). Free movement of people, however, doesn't align with a worldview in which your country's GDP determines how many rights you have and a system that relies on stoking fear of the 'other'.

Well they’ve fled war in their home country and stopped running in Japan, so refugees.

As to their long term status that should depend upon their wishes and the situation at home. I imagine that once hostilities have ceased many will want to return home. For those that wish to remain, I hope that Japan would give a little helping hand to those that want to stand on their own two feet and make a good life for themselves.

They will learn a usual Japanese greeting to anyone looking foreign: When are you going back to your home country?

Immigration officials tend to say "your own country" rather than "your home country".

Presumably they would return so evacuees.

Presumably they would WANT to return to their homes, though I am sure some may want to stay afterwards if they find jobs or the like. Those who want to stay should go through the same process as anyone else, though I would fully support the ability for them to apply from within the country while they are here as evacuees/refugees, it would be a bit much to expect them to leave once and apply to come back.

@cleo

I came after getting my degree just to experience Japan for a few years before going home and settling down with a serious job. Instead I found a niche for myself here, settled down and have never looked back. I have fun. I'm happy (100%? is anyone anywhere 100% happy 100% of the time? Let's be reasonable. On the whole, it's more than pretty good), not sure what 'integrated or assimilated' means, I just do my thing, same as the people around me do.

’When are you going back to your own country?’

;o)

TT

In the past, most refugees would remain in the country that took them in because it was normally much better financially and safer of course. A refugee was normally from a war torn country without much of a future. However, Japan as a long term destination for a refugee is an exception nowadays because of how hard it is to become a citizen, learn the language, fully integrate, and feel "at home". Even among ex-pats that have lived here long term, I doubt many want to retire and die here. Not in a small apartment in crowded Tokyo at least.

People who 'love' their country do not abandon it unless something is seriously amiss at home.

It may have gone right over your pointy little head that Ukraine is being bombarded constantly by heavy artillery, people cannot go out, if they stay home the orcs bomb their residential blocks, indiscriminately killing men, women, elderly and babies, if they hide underground they starve to death or the orcs bomb the building above them and bury them alive.

Dunno about you, but in my books that counts as something VERY seriously amiss.

Trying to get your family away from such danger is NOT 'economic emigration', it's fleeing for your life.

Sheesh.

"Do you think Ukrainians who have come to Japan because of the Russian invasion of their homeland should be referred to as "evacuees" or "refugees." In Japan, "refugees" can be granted long-term residency, while "evacuees" are viewed as people who will eventually have to leave."

One can argue about the definition of 'refugee' or even 'type of refugee', but for the sake of returning these people to their own country, 'evacuee' will be much more politically expedient for Japan when these people choose to resist such return. Why would they resist YOU might ask and what besides political expediency might justify the weasel word 'evacuee'...well...

Ukraine is, I'm told by the media, the poorest country in Europe. With this unnecessary war caused by the Ukraine central government not living up to its promises (see: Minsk Agreements) and allowing thugs such as the azovs, since 2014, to wage murderous war against their own people in the east who choose to distance themselves from the corruption of the central government, and with the vultures such as the IMF dumping 'loans' with interest into the country being sucked up by zelenkyy's boys, they will be even poorer in the future for crushing national debt.

Many, perhaps the majority, of the 'refugees' saw an open door and, not previously having a way out, packed their bags, abandoned their pets, and took off for a 'better life' , and most, I believe, will be reluctant to return. This cannot be described as 'evacuation' but more appropriately 'emigration'. Russia will not stay in Ukraine and once the eastern regions achieve their independence and the Russians go home, the West will lose all interest in Ukraine and the real stories of who did what to whom will filter out to what will then be deaf ears.

But, the point being, more than half of the people abandoning Ukraine are what the U.S. calls 'economic refugees', not 'evacuees', and another significant portion being 'political refugees',s, more afraid of their own government than of the Russians, again not 'evacuee's. These are wouldbe 'emigrants'. And the remainder just escaping war and might fairly be called 'evacuees' albeit leaving voluntarily rather than by direction of an 'Authority' which is the usual case in 'evacuation'. People who 'love' their country do not abandon it unless something is seriously amiss at home. The Germans did not flee Germany. The Japanese did not flee Japan. The Vietnamese who were not U.S. stooges did not flee Vietnam. Mostly the people who flee a country do not want to be there anyway.

So many cold people making comments about nothing they could possibly relate to. How could they say send them home when the war is over? Home to what? A country that's had the hell bombed out of it. Some of the towns and cities are basically rubble. Time for some compassion.

Let them stay if they want. It's like some pitifully small number. Maybe do research or open a Ukrainian restaurant or whatever. not like we dont jhabe enough Russian and Ukrainians working in various nightlife establishments in Roppongi and elsewhere.....

How about human beings who just want a safer life

Even with refugee status the percentage that choose to stay long term will be very low percentage. Think about what jobs they can fill and what status they were back home. Their license or traded certificate wouldn’t to recognize. That leaves a dismal minimum wage to live on plus other expensive refugee status don’t cover. None of the commenters on here would know and think nothing of the minimum wage issue in Japan because it doesn’t concern them nor how hard it is to survive on this dismal minimum or slave wage. Don’t think Japan is a superior country to rise a family compared to the Ukrain. In the very near future Ukrain will be excepted into the EU which automatically increases living standards. So when it over the Ukrainian refugee will head back home because there country will need rebuilding and probably a better living standard.

It seems a bit fuzzy, but aren't the Ukrainians both in a way. Yes, they were evacuated from a dangerous situation. Yes, they need a safe place to live

I am sure that they would want to return to their homeland once it is safe to do so. All we can do is support them as much as possible for now. If any of them wish to remain in Japan, then they should be allowed to apply for residency through normal process.

kaimycahl - I see legal refugees and immigrants as an overall 'good' for the US. They do bring their culture, language, skills, whatever those may be. Sometimes they bring things that are not-so-good with them too. It doesn't make a country F-up. It is a strength.

Every immigrant family takes 1-2 generations to integrate in the new country. The public schools indoctrinate all kids into whatever the current PC standards are and kids become fluent in English while being fluent at home in the language the parents speak.

If Japan can get the immigrants to return to Ukraine post-war, I'll be impressed.

@theFu the US allows refugees in the name of POLITICS once they arrive in the country they then get special treatment that extends for years and they end up making home in the country they become acclimated and don't want to go back to their homelands. Then you see all of these little city springing up where you have separate nationalities with their homeland ideology and this is why the US is so F-up because they don't assimilate they just live the best of both worlds!!!

The US allows refugees from natural disasters into the country all the time with the expressed purpose they would leave when done. Then the Dems keep moving the deadline out farther and farther, so the refugees say another 2, 3, forever now. And as a refugee, you get help setting up a house and finding a job - probably much better than you had back home - certainly more pay. Next it is time to start creating anchor babies, but that won't work in Japan, unless you marry a citizen there. Alas, not so in the US. So now there are 50K anchor babies from 75K natural disaster refugees and the babies can't be thrown out, since they are citizens ... and who will care for the babies? Obviously, the parents, who now must stay.

So ... they Ukrainians won't be going home for the next 5+ yrs and they won't put their lives on hold, so

Evacuees unless they apply for refugee status. But in all honestly, it's likely they chose Japan after evacuating to another country, so probably have some family / relative here.

The question should be addressed by the Ukrainians fleeing war.

Will they have anything left to evacuate or find refuge from?

And so far away from home?

no homes, no infrastructure

It's a massive country, most of it is untouched. But hometown might be in ruins indeed

Ukrainians are fighting in theory to be more European and the latter has decidedly accepted all Ukrainians fleeing from the country, so technically Ukrainians are able to go to the EU from Japan eventually.

In this situation, Japan has shown that it can forget the strict immigration policy, and its own constitution. I'm just wondering if Japan is trying to please the rest of the world and gain sympathy, or is this an order from Uncle Sam ?!

"Refugee", as it might remove some of the stigma that word seems to have here, as well as the rest of the world. Displaced Ukrainians don't seem to receive the same scorn and derision as victims of war and violence from other countries do, especially those from Africa and the Middle East.

All foreigners have their specific catalog of reasons that finally made or forced them to leave their former home countries, no one I guess is here for 100% fun and fully happy, integrated or assimilated, because that’s not possible. 

I disagree.

Nothing 'made' or 'forced' me to leave the UK, which is a very nice place to live (at least it was when I was there).

I came after getting my degree just to experience Japan for a few years before going home and settling down with a serious job. Instead I found a niche for myself here, settled down and have never looked back. I have fun. I'm happy (100%? is anyone anywhere 100% happy 100% of the time? Let's be reasonable. On the whole, it's more than pretty good), not sure what 'integrated or assimilated' means, I just do my thing, same as the people around me do.

The people coming from Ukraine obviously have their own reasons for choosing Japan. If they want to stay, let them stay and help contribute to Japanese society. If they decide they want to move on, that's fine. If they want to go back to Ukraine when this is all over and it's safe, that's fine, too.

Just give them a decent chance.

As for the questionnaire; I didn't answer because I couldn't find the '○Who cares, let's just help them the best we can' button.

All foreigners have their specific catalog of reasons that finally made or forced them to leave their former home countries, no one I guess is here for 100% fun and fully happy, integrated or assimilated, because that’s not possible. So it doesn’t make sense to categorize them into different groups. At least treat them as you yourself would just still accept to be treated in a similar situation anywhere else far from home. And no one knows or can be completely sure not to become such a person too. The developments are sometimes not easily foreseeable and very quickly occurring, like in cases of nature catastrophes or wars like that case here of the Ukraine.

The US allows refugees from natural disasters into the country all the time with the expressed purpose they would leave when done. Then the Dems keep moving the deadline out farther and farther, so the refugees say another 2, 3, forever now. And as a refugee, you get help setting up a house and finding a job - probably much better than you had back home - certainly more pay. Next it is time to start creating anchor babies, but that won't work in Japan, unless you marry a citizen there. Alas, not so in the US. So now there are 50K anchor babies from 75K natural disaster refugees and the babies can't be thrown out, since they are citizens ... and who will care for the babies? Obviously, the parents, who now must stay.

So ... they Ukrainians won't be going home for the next 5+ yrs and they won't put their lives on hold, so they are immigrants. Nothing wrong with that, provided it is understood by locals and the J-Govt.

They have nothing to go back to .

I'm totally fine with them staying if they want. Having said that, I do hope that the Russian military is removed from their home country in the near future and they can safely return home since I imagine that is what most of them want most.

Whatever they SHOULD be called, the government here will do the opposite so they can show them the door in a couple of months after patting themselves on the back for helping.

many of them came to my country some weeks ago when all have started now many are going back home...

they should be sent back home as soon as this will end.

and about their naming-they are not refugees since many of them went to Poland,Slovakia,Hungary,Romania and Moldova-neigbouring countries.no one from these countries is in war with Russia,all of these countries and considered as safe and democratic ones so coming to Japan is kind of speculation from their side since thay could aply for refugee status in these states very esy.

so my reply is they are speculants/option 4/,came to use japanese social system and have earned "good points" to LDP guys before elections.so double speculations.

Immigrants.

Exactly. Anyway, why would an evacuee come all the way to Japan?

And does that question really matter, considering that Japan has taken a pathetic number to begin with?

They will learn a usual Japanese greeting to anyone looking foreign: When are you going back to your home country?

Immigrants.

Evacuees..

After the war, go back home..

A bit like, ‘‘Freedom fighter’ or ‘terrorist’?’

or ‘potato’ (ポテート) or ‘potato’ (じゃがいも)?

But not ‘tomato’,

Basically, you don’t decide the term nor its meaning - the government does.

But you can bear witness to consequences.

They should leave and return to their homes when it is safe to do so. Those from the south and east may need to get Russian passports for their next overseas trip.