Photo/Illutration A chartered government jet with 20 Ukrainian evacuees aboard arrives at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport from Poland on April 5. (Hiroyuki Yamamoto)

More than 400 Ukrainians fleeing their country since the start of the Russian invasion have been flown to Japan so far.

These evacuees include those who have no relatives or acquaintances in Japan.

What their “evacuee” status means and how the Japanese government will assist them living in a country far from their own and facing such obstacles as the language barrier is addressed in the following question-and-answer format.

Question: How many Ukrainians have fled to Japan since the Russian invasion of their country started in February?

Answer: Twenty Ukrainians arrived in Japan on April 5 on a chartered government jet. They included four people who have no relatives or acquaintances here. Even before that, some 400 Ukrainians with relatives or acquaintances in Japan came to this country to flee the Russian attacks.

Q: Are they considered “refugees”?

A: The government call them “evacuees,” to differentiate them from refugees. Those who are officially recognized as refugees are allowed the right to live in Japan for a longer period as well as to receive a state pension just like Japanese nationals. However, Japan's refugee screening system is very strict. Although the annual number of refugee applicants numbers between 4,000 to 20,000 in recent years, only 20 to fewer than 50 people are given refugee status every year. Critics say that the government is cold-hearted toward the applicants.

Q: How different are evacuees from refugees?

A: Evacuees are initially allowed to stay for 90 days in Japan. After this period, they are granted the right to work for one year in the country if they so desire. The government says that the right can be extended if the war continues. However, these are only short-term measures, unlike the government’s policies for refugees, who could be given an indefinite term to remain in the country.

Q: Can Ukrainians with no relatives or acquaintances in Japan live proper lives in the country?

A: The government is providing such people with special support. Not only providing hotel accommodations and meals, it will also pay for their living and medical expenses. Based on the evacuees’ wishes, it will also connect them to businesses or local authorities that volunteer to offer them jobs or living accommodations. Around 900 companies or local governments have offered support for them so far.

Q: Even so, being far from their own country, the evacuees must be feeling insecure.

A: To overcome the language barrier, the government is planning to provide evacuees with interpretation services, translation devices, Japanese language lessons and skills training. Child evacuees will also receive education in Japan.

Q: It sounds as if the government is eager to support them.

A: Some observers say the government by supporting Ukraine is trying to be seen as joining the international efforts to be tough on Russia.

Related News