Immigration law change proposals would allow Japan to eject refugee status applicants March 16, 2021 (Mainichi Japan) The Ministry of Justice is seen in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. (Mainichi) The controversial draft revision to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act is set for deliberation in the current Diet session. One point of contention is the government-submitted draft's proposal to overhaul current rules not to repatriate foreign nationals while their refugee status applications are being evaluated, and to cap the number of times a person can apply for refugee status. The rule is based on international law, which stipulates that refugees at risk of persecution in their countries must not be repatriated. But the Immigration Services Agency of Japan believes that because people can file for refugee status as many times as they like, there are individuals who continue to reapply for refugee status to avoid repatriation, and that this trend is a contributing factor in prolonged stays at detention facilities. Therefore, as an exception to the rule, the draft revision would make it possible to forcibly repatriate people who apply for the same status three times or more.