Japan’s Refugee Policies: Perspectives of Vietnamese

This study explores some mechanisms of exclusion of ‘non Japanese’ persons within Japan which may function as a hindrance to accepting resettlement refugees as permanent residents of the country. Using the concept of social exclusion, it first looks at the context of Japan’s Refugee Policy. Then it attempts to capture the experience of Vietnamese refugees and especially their children in education and employment with the concept of liminality. This study pays attention to response to refugees of Japanese communities in terms of integration since Japan’s Refugee policy is very limited and does not adequately address/act on issues of integration. This study argues that integration is about mutual adaptation of both resettlement refugees and Japanese society. At the end of this study it identifies some significant factors upon integration in Japan.