The Justice Ministry said Friday that it has granted refugee status to two people, bringing to 11 the total number of refugees recognized this year.
In keeping with its standard practice, the ministry did not release their names or nationalities.
However, lawyers supporting their activities told The Japan Times that the two are from Myanmar and had been politically active before entering Japan. The man came to Japan on a student visa in 1996 but it was unclear when the woman arrived, they said.
Both applied for refugee status in 1998, they said. The man was said to be 30 years old and the woman 23.