Japan to offer $810 million to support refugees fleeing Syria, Iraq: NHK

By

Japan, which accepted just 11 asylum seekers out of 5,000 applications last year, will provide about $810 million in aid in response to refugees fleeing Syria and Iraq, public broadcaster NHK reported on Monday.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was expected to announce the new aid when he addresses the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, NHK said, but it made no reference to whether Japan would ease its own strict conditions for accepting refugees.

The United Nations said on Friday it could see no easing of the flow of refugees into Europe, with 8,000 arrivals daily, and that problems now facing governments may turn out to be only "the tip of the iceberg".

Japan's foreign ministry last Friday announced it would provide grant aid of $2 million to support Syrian refugees and host communities in Lebanon and another $2 million for West Balkan countries such as Serbia and Macedonia, which are facing an influx of refugees and migrants.

In 2014, Japan accepted 11 asylum seekers out of a record 5,000 applications. Earlier this month, Tokyo announced changes to its refugee system that activists said will make the country even harder to reach for people needing protection.

The United States, the biggest donor of humanitarian aid, recently announced it would provide an additional $419 million, bringing its total humanitarian assistance to over $4.5 billion during the crisis.

But a White House plan to allow an increase of 15,000 per year for the next two years in the number of refugees the country takes in faces stiff opposition from Republican lawmakers who have cited fears about terrorism.

Tags
Japan, Shinzo Abe, Europe, Asylum
Join the Discussion
More News
Georgia Man Chris Louis Leaves Children at McDonald's

Georgia Dad Left Young Children at McDonald's While He Went to a Job Interview. Cops Were Waiting When He Returned

Kolstad Stoeckel

Minnesota Man Begged Deputies to 'Put One in My Head' After Shooting Sleeping Roommate: Police

Florida Man Who Allegedly Terrorized Pregnant Girlfriend Sent Her Photos

Florida Man Who Allegedly Terrorized Pregnant Girlfriend Sent Her Photos of Her Toddlers Beaten After She Escaped: Police

Police Chief Spiked Officers' Coffee With Viagra, Left Body Hair

Police Chief Terrorized Staff by Pooping on the Floor, Spiking Coffee with Viagra and Sprinkling Body Hair on Food: Complaint