In the decade since becoming the UN’s first Asian official partner for refugee resettlement, Japan’s refugee record has been dismally small – only 1% percent of applicants were granted refugee status in 2021. While Japan does provide short-term residency to certain groups, such as over 2,000 Ukrainians since 2021, their status as “evacuees” rather than refugees has drawn condemnation by the UNHCR. Why is Japan so cautious to accept refugees, and is that likely to change anytime soon? What humanitarian protections exist outside of official refugee recognition, and is that sufficient? Join as Dr. Naoko Hashimoto (formerly at the UNHCR, IOM, and Japanese Ministry of Justice) shares about refugees in Japan (or the lack thereof) and the surrounding ongoing debate which is increasingly crucial in today’s war-torn world. Moderated by Stacy Shimanuki.

Speaker: Dr. Naoko Hashimoto
Associate Professor; Hitotsubashi University
Former Program Manager; IOM & UNHCR

Naoko Hashimoto is a distinguished expert in refugees and forced migration both in Japan and globally, with over 15 years of experience with UNHCR, IOM, and as an appointed refugee advisor for the Japanese Minister of Justice. Dr. Hashimoto holds an MS in Forced Migration from the University of Oxford, an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of London, and a PhD in Politics from the University of Sussex. She contributes migration-related articles to Forbes and appears in national and international media, including NHK and CNN. Her current research focuses on resettlement decision-making processes and international comparative analyses on protection schemes.