News Navigator: Why are refugees on the rise, and what efforts has Japan made?

The Mainichi Shimbun answers some common questions readers may have about refugees around the world who are being forced to flee their homelands.

Question: How many refugees are there across the globe?

Answer: According to data released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in June, the number of refugees and internally displaced people forced to move due to conflict or risk of persecution reached a record high of 108.4 million by the end of 2022. This is a rise of roughly 19 million people from the end of the previous year, and the largest annual increase in history.

Q: What's the reason for the surge?

A: The biggest factor is Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It has also been pointed out that an increasing number of people from places including Afghanistan, where the Taliban has come back to power, have fled to neighboring countries. Since the beginning of 2023, armed clashes have broken out in Sudan in northeast Africa, and the increasing trend shows no signs of stopping.

Q: Which countries are accepting the most refugees?

A: Turkey accepts the largest number of refugees, including those from Syria, followed by Iran and Colombia. Lower and middle-income countries accept nearly 80% of all refugees, and UNHCR head Filippo Grandi has called on countries to expand their refugee acceptance systems, citing the importance of greater support from the international community and for all countries to share the responsibility.

Q: What efforts has Japan made?

A: A legal amendment in June established a system to protect people who do not meet the criteria for recognition under the Refugee Convention, but who are equivalent to refugees. Those who have fled Ukraine, for example, are eligible for long-term resident status if they are recognized. In Japan, only 202 people were granted refugee status in 2022, and the country is expected to make greater efforts.

(Japanese original by Shiho Matsumoto, Foreign News Department)