Kurds in Japan

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Japanese Kurds
Kurdên Japonyayê
在日クルド人 (Zainichi Kurudo-jin)
Total population
2,000[1]
Regions with significant populations
Warabi, Kawaguchi
Languages
Japanese, Kurdish
Related ethnic groups
Iranian peoples (Yazidis, Zazas), Iranians in Japan

Kurds in Japan (Japanese: 在日クルド人 Zainichi Kurudo-jin, Kurdish: Kurdên Japonyayê) refers to Kurdish people residing in Japan. 

Legal status

Most Kurds in Japan are from shepherding villages in Southeast Turkey and reside in the Warabi and Kawaguchi areas of Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo. Warabi, especially, has been nicknamed "Warabistan"[2][3] by those who are interested in Kurdish people, culture, and issues. Some Kurdish people arrived in Japan in order to request refugee status for human rights abuses in Turkey and Iraq, but so far none have been successful in their application due to Japan's asylum system which is rigid and restrictive.[4][5][6] Japan's asylum system has been criticized several times by the UN.[7] While many obtain visas through marriage with a Japanese citizen, most have obtained "Special Permission to Stay" (在留特別許可 Zairyū Tokubetsu Kyoka) visas, which must be renewed every three months while their refugee application or appeal is being reviewed. A documentary directed by Masaru Nomoto (野本 大) entitled Backdrop Kurdistan (バックドロップ・クルディスタン) documented the legal struggles of one Kurdish family (Kazankıran family: Japanese: カザンキラン Kazankiran[8]) from Kahramanmaraş Province.

A clash took place outside the Turkish embassy in Tokyo between Kurds and Turks in Japan. Some Kurdish sources claimed the clash began when the Turks assaulted the Kurds after a Kurdish party flag was shown at the embassy.[9][10][11][12][13][14]

See also

References

External links