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Why doesn't Japan take in Asylum seekers.


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We have an election looming in Australia and the ol' 'Boat People Problem' is getting pushed up the priority list of issues way higher than it deserves. Chasing the Bogon (redneck) vote never gets old.

The US takes the gold medal for accepting and re-settling asylum seekers for the 70th year in a row. Japan however trails miserably behind.

Australia takes very few on a global comparison but we have the third largest resettlement program in the world behind the U.S. and Canada. Roughly 2700 asylum seekers were living in the Australian communities (a further 4000 were living in detention being processed) in Jan 2013 on some type of bridging visa.

If you compare that to Japan's intake of just 18 asylum seekers accepted last year it adds up to these rough numbers.

 

Australia 1 asylum seeker/ 13 thousand people.

Japan 1 asylum seeker/ 7million people.

 

 

http://unhcr.org/asylumtrends/UNHCR%20ASYLUM%20TRENDS%202012_WEB.pdf

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/statistics/settler-arrivals/settler-arrivals-0910.pdf

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jp is a small over populated country I guess who really doesnt give a feck what other people/countries think of it. It also doesnt seem to care about being politically correct which I have respect for. At least you know where they stand unlike AU

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I see it as being arrogant and having a total lack of generosity and compassion. Hard to respect that. I have respect for countries at least trying to grapple with what is a very difficult issue. I doubt governments around the world are spending hundreds of millions of dollars, just to be seen as PC.

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I see it as being arrogant and having a total lack of generosity and compassion. Hard to respect that. I have respect for countries at least trying to grapple with what is a very difficult issue. I doubt governments around the world are spending hundreds of millions of dollars, just to be seen as PC.

Not sure I agree with you Mantas.

While dealing with Asylum seekers is an International problem, resettling them in Japan is a fairly silly idea given current population levels in such a small land mass. Perhaps if your issue with them is a lack of a contribution to a solution they could 'contribute' in other ways (if they don't already).

 

:lol: I'd seek asylum in Japan.

As long as they let me settle in a ski resort ;)

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I see it as being arrogant and having a total lack of generosity and compassion. Hard to respect that. I have respect for countries at least trying to grapple with what is a very difficult issue. I doubt governments around the world are spending hundreds of millions of dollars, just to be seen as PC.

i respect it because i would rather know the truth than be fed bullshit about how rosey everything is when the reality is often far from that.

 

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Why should Japan HAVE to take in asylum seekers? :wakaranai:

 

Countries such as the US and to a lesser extent, UK should take them in because they are the ones with the damaging foreign policy....starting wars and generally f@@king things up for foreign people. Japan, since the end of WW2, keeps itself to itself.

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An observation.....Can you think of any non-English speaking county with a respectable immigration policy? Hmm.....I can't....

 

Respectable immigration policy isn't the same as accepting asylum seekers

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I don't find it surprising that countries that were 'founded' by immigrants would have a more favourable policy towards immigration.

 

Indeed. And I'm not surprised that a country like Japan that had a long history of isolationism has issues with a policy towards immigration.

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Not sure I agree with you Mantas.

Perhaps if your issue with them is a lack of a contribution to a solution

That's exactly my beef MB. We are constantly being told that it is a global problem which requires a global solution. What IS Japan doing to shoulder their share of the bourdon? Australia comes under fire regularly for its asylum seeker policies, and so it should, but I don't understand how Japan can sit in the shadows and do Jack s&@t to help and nobody says a word.

TB- Have a look at the statistics. Asylum seekers are coming from everywhere. Sri Lanka, China, South America. Countries that have had no meddling by western interests.

 

 

 

 

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I think you need to read up a bit on Japanese history Mantas.

Yep, certainly do GN. The last book I read was about the treatment of POW's in South East Asia. It's called Sandakan. Have you read it?

I thought the stories my grandfather told me were an exaggeration, when in actual fact they were the opposite. It's hard to fathom the depth of cruelty and lack of compassion for a fellow human that was deeply ingrained in Japanese culture at the time. It does make you wonder if some of these traits of the past still linger in 2013, given their interest in a global humanitarian effort today and their reluctance, almost refusal, to accept outsiders into their society.

Can you recommend some books that portray the Japanese in a more positive light, I'd be interested to know?

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Personally I do not see why Japan needs to take in assylum seekers anyway. It is a small over populated Island.

 

And if Japan decides to accept these people are they also going to be given free Japanese lessons until they are able to speak enough to get by comfortably in Japan?

 

Where would they live?

 

What would they do for work because I am sure they cant all be English teachers.

 

It would end up the tax payers paying for them to have a free life in Japan just like is happening in the UK.

 

Japan has enough ecconomical problems as it is without making the situation worse by letting in unwanted people.

 

Mantas if you are so keen to help them then why not run for president or PM and if you get in then you can let them all flood into Australia aftet all its not as if you have not got enough spare land.

 

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I'm not that keen to help them at all, but feel we should be making some kind of contribution to help relieve what we are constantly being told is a 'global problem'. I Just want to know why all those reasons you pointed out somehow only apply to Japan.

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There are ways to get into japan if you really want to just like there is in au.

You shouldnt judge todays japan by the traits of the imperial army in ww2, sounds like this book has made you butthurt about something that the rest of the world moved on from a long time ago.

Fyi my great uncle was killed in sydney harbour by the japanese mini sub and my nan will never forgive the japanese people for what they did. 2 generations on is me with a japanese gf who is the most kind person you could ever hope to meet. Time heals.

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An observation.....Can you think of any non-English speaking county with a respectable immigration policy? Hmm.....I can't....

 

Respectable immigration policy isn't the same as accepting asylum seekers

Ya, but not mutually exclusive either.

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You shouldnt judge todays japan by the traits of the imperial army in ww2, sounds like this book has made you butthurt about something that the rest of the world moved on from a long time ago.

Exactly. Japan is one having trouble moving on. They still have this insular, closed shop, keep foreigners out, f##k the rest of the world, not my problem, attitude that prevents them from moving on.

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You shouldnt judge todays japan by the traits of the imperial army in ww2, sounds like this book has made you butthurt about something that the rest of the world moved on from a long time ago.

Exactly. Japan hasn't moved on. They still have this insular, closed shop, keep foreigners out, f##k the rest of the world, not my problem, attitude that prevents them from moving on.

You could stereotype japan that way I guess but what does it achieve? There is no rule that says every country must be exactly like Australia (Im assuming you are an aussie), in fact its the willingness to be different that actually makes japan appealing to most I think, even if they are somewhat racist and judgemental in their own special way.

 

There are 2 very different issues here, assylum and your seemingly negative impression of japan (or is it japanese people?)

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And if Japan decides to accept these people are they also going to be given free Japanese lessons until they are able to speak enough to get by comfortably in Japan?

ya think the asylum seekers in Australia all arrive being able to speak English, or EVER become fluent? Some do. Some don't. And yes, they require the services of interpreters for some many things - doctor visits, social security appointments...

 

Where would they live?
same questions are asked here. Papabear was on a flight back from Christmas Island last year with a few Asylum seekers who were being 'settled'. He got chatting to them (obviously THEY spoke English), they had been at Christmas Island in detention for two years, and were now being settled in metropolitan WA. They had suitcases, clothes and cash provided for resettlement, and were to be met by an official who would transition them. They were to go on social security benefits for income, were being housed in government housing (homeswest) and would have a social worker helping them to make the adjustment into their local community.

 

Given there is a 5year+ waiting list for any homeswest accommodation for anyone who qualifies (low income)the 'Where would they live?' comment applies equally here.

 

What would they do for work because I am sure they cant all be English teachers.
This is as much an issue here. Many remain on government benefits. Of those that work may of them end up in clusters of industry such as fruit picking, or industrial cleaning where the boss is a native speaker of the language of their origin country. This is often true even if the asylum seeker was a doctor in their home country.

 

It would end up the tax payers paying for them to have a free life in Japan just like is happening in the UK.
And as happens in most countries where asylum seekers are accepted.

Don't take me the wrong way.

I have great sympathy for refugee's and their plight.

I don't think the issue of refugees globally is deal with very well at all, leading to good people suffering and some nasty opportunists making money out of their misery at the risk of the refugees lives.

 

But I just wanted to address your points in relation to Australia's experience as I see it.

And despite us having a massive land mass with very little population - there's a reason for that. Our water resources are limited and adding loads more bodies to this country will put it under extreme stress as well.

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Been to Japan many times, I've taken my kids there also and pointed out to them the many virtues of Japanese society.

This is only about sharing the bourdon and getting off their arses and helping out. The rest is just speculation on why they refuse to do so.

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Not sure I agree with you Mantas.

Perhaps if your issue with them is a lack of a contribution to a solution

That's exactly my beef MB. We are constantly being told that it is a global problem which requires a global solution. What IS Japan doing to shoulder their share of the bourdon? Australia comes under fire regularly for its asylum seeker policies, and so it should, but I don't understand how Japan can sit in the shadows and do Jack s&@t to help and nobody says a word.

TB- Have a look at the statistics. Asylum seekers are coming from everywhere. Sri Lanka, China, South America. Countries that have had no meddling by western interests.

 

Sri Lanka, China and South America have all been meddled with by the West!

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Been to Japan many times, I've taken my kids there also and pointed out to them the many virtues of Japanese society.

This is only about sharing the bourdon burden and getting off their arses and helping out. The rest is just speculation on why they refuse to do so.

Sorry Mantas. Once is a typo, twice required correction. It kept making me think of bourbon!
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