Last year, Japan's contribution to the United Nations refugee agency was second only to the United States.
It raised its funding to U.N. assistance for Palestinian refugees by 166 percent, and when the tsunami struck South Asia, Japan offered $ 500 million to aid the displaced, topping U.S. President George W. Bush's pledge of $ 350 million.
But while Japan has been quick to support refugees abroad, for decades it has been notoriously stingy about whom it allows to remain on its own shores.