Japan begins accepting war-fleeing Ukrainians without guarantor

Japan on Friday started granting entry to Ukrainian refugees even if they do not have a relative or acquaintance in Japan who can act as a guarantor, the Japanese government said, Report informs via Kyodo News.

The change to the original policy of requiring displaced persons to have a guarantor was made at a meeting of relevant ministries and agencies given the humanitarian crisis that has led millions of Ukrainians to flee the country due to the current situation.

As of March 17, Japan had accepted 73 evacuees with a guarantor since March 2, when Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that the country would open its doors as part of its humanitarian response, according to the government.

Under the new measures, visa application procedures have been simplified for the Ukrainian evacuees, and they are not required to provide negative COVID-19 test results upon entry.

Japan currently limits the number of people entering the country to 7,000 a day as an anti-COVID step, but the evacuees will not be counted toward the cap.

Other support measures for people fleeing Ukraine include securing accommodation, supplying them with daily necessities, and helping them to get jobs and study in Japan.

The Ukrainians arriving in Japan after Russia's military actions have not been granted refugee status and are called evacuees by the government.