TOKYO — Monday’s announcement by a Japanese foundation that it will launch a fundraising campaign to help more than 1,200 Ukrainian refugees in Japan receive additional financial support for language study and other needs.
Jumpei Sasakawa is the executive director of Nippon Foundation. Through cooperation with U.S. and Ukrainian diplomats, it hopes to raise 1 Billion Yen ($7.4 Million).
Already, the foundation has pledged 5 billion Japanese yen (37 million dollars) to cover transportation and living expenses for Ukrainian evacuees. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Japan has accepted over 1,200 war-displaced Ukrainians.
Sasakawa claimed that he was approached in this manner by the U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emmanuel asked Sasakawa to allow ordinary Japanese to support Ukrainian evacuees.
Sergiy Korsunsk (Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan) joined Sasakawa, Emanuel and others at a news conference. He urged Japanese to consider donations to the fund an “investment from Japan in a nation which will be always be friend with you” and said that Ukrainians living in Japan would be “a bridge between us” once Ukraine is ready for rebuilding.
Japan joined the United States, other industrialized countries in quickly imposing sanctions against Russia and supporting Ukraine. This was because Japan fears another development in East Asia. China has grown increasingly assertive and threatened military action against Taiwan if it does not unite with China.
Japan is not used to accepting the Ukrainian evacuees. Japan has strict refugee and immigration policies, despite its shrinking labor force. Supporters of the Ukrainians hope that Japan will adopt a more relaxed immigration policy.
Human rights groups have criticised Japan for not welcoming displaced people from countries like Afghanistan and Myanmar. They haven’t received a warm reception or a national-organized support system.
“I think this is a win-win scenario. Japan could benefit from the assistance it receives in its labor shortage, and people or evacuees from Ukraine can use their skills to find work and contribute to their temporary home,” Emanuel stated.
Sasakawa’s grandfather Ryoichi Sasakawa was a far-right politician, businessman and politician who founded the Nippon Foundation to distribute the money from motorboat racing. This is a popular gambling pastime.
When asked why he chose the foundation, Emanuel answered that it was well-known for humanitarian aid and was already supporting Ukrainian evacuees.
