Japan accepted 20 refugees in 2017

The number of asylum seekers to Japan grew 80 percent to a record 19,628 in 2017--but only 20 were accepted.
Immigration is a controversial subject in Japan, even as the population ages and its workforce shrinks. The government in mid-January 2018 limited the right to work only to those Japan regards as bona fide refugees. As a result, the average daily number of applicants for asylum fell by 50 percent in January as compared to December 2017.