March 11, 2023

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Akamine Seiken on March 9 in the Diet building met with Representative of UNHCR in Japan Ito Ayaki and handed over five million yen in donations that the JCP had collected for relief of quake sufferers in Turkey and Syria.

Ito explained that as initial humanitarian assistance for quake victims in the two countries, the UNHCR used donations to provide necessary supplies, such as clothes and tents, and mental health support services for women and children. He added that under the 12-year long conflict in Syria, 3.8 million refugees were accepted by Turkey and that many of these refugees again lost their places of residence due to the recent natural disaster.

Akamine said that he is distressed to hear about the hardships being experienced by Syrian refugees and that in order to meet Syrian refugees’ needs, it is necessary to put an end to the conflict first and foremost.

Stating that the UNHCR places importance on maintaining its neutrality in its activities in conflict regions worldwide, Ito expressed his hope that each nation will respect refugees’ demands and needs, and that Japan will become a society which accepts refugees inclusively.