A leading lobby group for the interests of refugees in Japan has urged the government to take in more asylum seekers from Syria, as many countries — including some poor nations — have agreed to do.
Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, lawyer Shogo Watanabe, a representative of the Japan Lawyers Network for Refugees, said the nation should play a proactive role in accepting refugees to address human rights and humanitarian issues directly.
"In terms of geographical standpoints, refugees may not want to come to Japan, but still, for example, New Zealand has announced its plan for 850 resettlements," Watanabe said. He was citing a figure released by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.