The image of a drowned boy washed up on a Turkish beach sparked a global outcry earlier this year amid the largest mass exodus of refugees in the modern era. It spawned a heated discussion in Japan on whether to make room for refugees.

In 2014, 5,000 people applied for refugee status, out of which only 11, including three Syrians, were successful. The number of applicants this year reached 4,950 in November, and the full-year total may surpass last year's.

However, the current system offers limited protection for those seeking refugee status, said Susumu Tada, legal officer at the Japan Association for Refugees. The group has provided legal and social services for refugees in Japan since 1999.