"A Critical Analysis of Japan's Decision to Accept Ukrainians Following" by Atsushi Yamagata
Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that Japan would accept Ukrainians who had fled to third countries. While this prompt decision should be welcomed, the Japanese government has been criticised for its reluctance to accept refugees for years. Because of Japan's past restrictive approach to refugees and asylum-seekers, the decision to accept Ukrainians was met with surprise. Why, then, did the Japanese government decide to accept Ukrainians? This article explores the rationale behind this decision by analysing the language...