Arab News Japan

Japan’s ruling lawmakers on Tuesday dropped a controversial push to change rules on handling asylum seekers and deportations after opposition pressure over the death of a Sri Lankan woman.

The proposed legislation included changes making it easier to deport unsuccessful asylum seekers, something that was heavily criticised by rights groups, all opposition parties, including the Constitutional Democratic Party.

Opposition mounted after the death in March of a Sri Lankan woman — identified by supporters as 33-year-old Wishma Sandamali — in immigration detention.

Sandamali was detained for overstaying her visa after seeking police protection, reportedly to escape an abusive relationship.

She reportedly complained repeatedly of stomach pain and other symptoms, starting in January, and campaigners allege she was given inadequate medical care. The cause of her death has not been officially disclosed.

Human rights campaigners have long criticised conditions at Japanese detention centres, including how guards respond to medical emergencies. This comes after another incident that previously occurred where a Ghanaian man was unlawfully killed while being forcibly deported.

Opposition parties had pressed the government to release video footage of the woman’s condition in the facility, which the government declined, citing security reasons.

In response, the opposition refused to debate the immigration bill, and the ruling party announced it would drop the legislation to ease parliamentary tensions.

“We will no longer hold further discussions on the immigration law that is being deliberated at the lower house legal affairs committee,” Hiroshi Moriyama, the Diet affairs chief of the LDP, told reporters.

Around 100 activists and refugees, including immigrants from Iran and Ghana, gathered in front of the Diet building Tuesday to demand greater human rights.

Meanwhile, a loudspeaker broadcasted politicians’ deliberations from inside the Diet, Japan’s parliament, where a Ghanaian woman hailed the decision to drop the amendment to the law and kissed a Japanese woman to thank her for her support.

Elderly Japanese also welcomed the parliamentarians’ decision to abandon the proposed legislation that included plans to deport foreigners seeking  the refugee status while the application procedure was ongoing.

Japan has a very strict immigration policy and accepts only about one percent of the refugee applications it receives, placing a significant burden of proof on those who seek refuge and often detaining migrants for lengthy periods while their cases are processed.