A rally in Japan protesting against an immigration reform bill that imposes refugee restrictions

A rally in Japan protesting against an immigration reform bill that imposes refugee restrictions

On Thursday, a rally in Japan demonstrated widespread opposition to planned immigration reform currently being debated in the National Diet. The proposed reform is seen as tightening Japan's selective refugee system even further.

Opposition lawmakers and human rights groups such as Amnesty International Japan and Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan attended the march, dubbed "Open the Gate for All," in an attempt to rally support against legislation currently being debated in the Diet. After a third failed asylum claim, the proposed law would allow asylum seekers in Japan to be deported, as well as enact new processes for forcible deportations of people who entered Japan illegally or overstayed their visas.

Prior to Thursday's protest, an online petition of over 100,000 signatures was gathered and sent to the Diet to express dissatisfaction with the planned amendment. This rally is the most recent in a series of demonstrations in Japan against the planned asylum reform, with the Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan hosting a Diet sit-in on April 16th that drew hundreds of people.

International criticism has been leveled at Japan for welcoming far fewer refugees than the United States or Europe. In Japan, less than 1% of refugee applications were accepted in 2019.