TOKYO: Japan’s Immigration Services Agency said Wednesday it will extend a program by six months to provide living allowances to Ukrainian people fleeing from the Russian invasion of their country.

The program was originally set to end about six months after the evacuees moved in temporary accommodation facilities. But the agency decided to continue providing the support as the situation in the East European country is still fluid.

According to the agency, a total of 1,878 Ukrainians came to Japan between March 2, when Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced his administration’s policy of accepting Ukrainian evacuees, and Monday.

As of Monday, 1,798 of them were staying in the country, including 104 at temporary facilities.

The living allowances are offered to evacuees who do not have any relatives or acquaintances in Japan. They have so far been provided to 224 such people.

JIJI Press