Since the mid-1990s, a small but steady number of Turkish Kurds have sought refuge in Japan. They arrived having fled political persecution by the Turkish authorities, forcible evacuation from their villages, and violence during conflict between insurgency groups and the government.
The majority of Kurdish people fleeing Turkey have sought refuge in Europe. But a mutual visa exemption agreement between Japan and Turkey has seen Japan become an alternative destination for Turkish Kurds. In 2024, Turkish nationals accounted for approximately 10% of the total 12,373 asylum seekers.
Japan doesn’t grant refugee status in high numbers. To date, only one Turkish Kurd has been granted refugee status. This person was initially denied refugee status, but the Sapporo High Court overturned the decision in 2022, and he was recognised as a refugee. This was due to several factors, including his well-founded fear of persecution, and recognition of the fact that the Turkish legal system cannot effectively prevent enforced disappearance or torture against those suspected of being PKK supporters.
