Of 60 Syrians already living in Japan who had applied for refugee status, three had been successful and another 30 or so had been given permission to stay long-term for humanitarian reasons. Hiroaki Ishii, the executive director of the Japan Association for Refugees, was quoted in a Mainichi newspaper interview as calling Japan a "closed country" for refugees: Hirokaki Ishii, executive director of the Japan Association for Refugees says, "Given the financial support to date for refugees one would have to say that Japan is indifferent to refugees.
Исполнительный директор Организации по делам беженцев Хироаки Исии заявляет: «Учитывая сегодняшнюю финансовую поддержку беженцам, создается впечатление, что Япония равнодушна к беженцам.