Most foreigners in Japan know the horror of waiting for a residency permit or visa. A few hours in the queue at the Shinagawa immigration office can feel like a lifetime.
But for Iranian national Jamal Saberi, "waiting a lifetime" has become more than just a figure of speech. For nearly 10 years he has been pleading with the Japanese authorities to grant him asylum or refugee status.
"I am tired. . . . I need an answer, but they won't give me one," he says.