In the wake of the May 8 Shenyang consulate incident, Tokyo is reviewing its refugee policy. Predictably, it has set up a committee to think about it all. This writer is a member. What he sees is not encouraging.
This is not to criticize Japan's behavior -- on the contrary. As a signatory to the United Nations Convention and Protocol on refugees, Tokyo, unlike most others, still feels obliged to go through the correct procedures. So any foreigner in Japan -- even people caught for false passports, illegal stay-over or other offenses -- can in principle simply turn round and claim to be a refugee. Having made that claim they are automatically entitled to receive due processing.
(In theory, only those in Japan for less than 60 days -- soon to be lengthened to 180 days, according to reports -- can make that claim. In practice, claims by some who have been here much longer are also accepted and have to be processed.)