Photo/Illutration A man who fled fighting in his native Sudan arrived in Japan in October 2023 with only the bagpack that he holds. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

At least 17 foreigners who applied for refugee status have been deported since stricter provisions took effect last year under the revised Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law.

The Immigration Services Agency on March 14 released the number of deportations for the first time since the revised law went into force in June 2024.

The homelands of those deported were not released to avoid identifying the individuals.

The revisions allow for deportations of foreigners who have twice had their applications for refugee status rejected.

Critics said the new rules would force asylum seekers back to their homelands where they could face persecution.

Under the old law, foreigners could not be deported as long as they were awaiting a decision on their refugee application.

Government officials argued that many foreigners were abusing the old law by repeatedly applying for refugee status just to remain in Japan.

The Diet passed the bill to revise the law in 2023.

Immigration authorities said that in one case since the revised law took effect, a deportation order was suspended after the individual submitted documents.

They added that they do not know how many people in Japan have submitted at least three refugee status applications.

The agency said 12,373 applications for refugee status were submitted in 2024, and 190 were certified as refugees.

Another change to the refugee recognition law was the introduction of a supplementary protection certification program to cover those from nations engaged in warfare.

The measure was implemented to counter criticism that Japan was taking in a woefully small number of refugees.

An international convention defines refugees as those who flee their homeland due to fears of persecution for five main reasons: race; religion; nationality; membership of a particular social group; or political opinion.

The supplementary protection certification program was designed to help those fleeing nations engaged in warfare. It started in December 2023.

In 2024, 1,661 foreigners were certified under the program: 1,618 Ukrainians; 17 Syrians; 13 from Myanmar; 11 from Sudan; one Afghan; and one from Uzbekistan.

Those certified received long-term resident visa status, similar to refugees, allowing them to work in Japan.

One man in his 30s from Sudan was certified after his refugee application was turned down. He said his wife and young daughter can now come to Japan to join him.

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