Daoud Kuttab, Amman 

After living and studying in Japan for two years, Mohammad can hardly believe that he has been able to learn the language and carry out his dream of getting an MA degree in civil engineering. 

It all began when Mohammad, who was living in the Jordanian town of Zarqa, heard about a scholarship being offered by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through the UN High Commission for Refugees. “I applied and was accepted, and in no time I found myself in a new country.” 

Mohammad was one of many Syrian refugees accepted to complete their postgraduate studies in Japan. Francesco Bert, senior external relations officer, UNHCR Jordan, told Arab News that Mohammad’s educational opportunity is part of the Japanese Initiative for the Future of Syrian Refugees. 

“JICA, in collaboration with UNHCR, has supported 16 Syrian refugees from Jordan to study at postgraduate schools in Japan. The program also aims to offer higher education opportunities for 100 Syrian refugees staying in Jordan or Lebanon over five years,” Bert said.

Lina Annab, Jordan’s ambassador in Tokyo, told Arab News that Jordan and Japan cooperate on many fronts, including the fight against terrorism and extremism.

“Over the past few years and in line with the important strategic role that Jordan plays in maintaining peace and stability in the region, Japan has extended support in a number of areas and projects through grants and low-interest loans aimed at mitigating the impact of the influx of 1.3 million Syrian refugees into Jordan.”

 Japan’s ambassador in Jordan, Hidenao Yanagi, told Arab News that in the financial years 2012 to 2018, the government of Japan contributed $219 million through several international organizations.

 Syrian refugees received support through well-respected UN and international organizations such as ICRC, UNDP, UNOPS, UNHCR, UNICEF, EFP, UN Women and UNFPA. 

In addition to educational support, the Japanese government committed $3.57 million in funding to UNHCR Jordan in 2019 to assist Syrian refugees living in urban areas, Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps.

“This new funding will allow UNHCR to continue to provide key services, such as health care, community empowerment, and capacity-building support to the government of Jordan,” Bert said.

The Japanese government has been a long-term supporter of Syrian refugees in Jordan and their grants help to ensure the strengthening of protection for refugees in Jordan. 

“This support has ensured that women’s access to reproductive health care is protected, that the community centers in Zaatari and Azraq camps can provide vital space for refugees to gather and undertake recreational, vocational and social activities. Besides, this funding ensures the mental and emotional welfare of Syrian refugees are addressed,” Bert said.

Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, the Japanese government has provided $59.1 million to UNHCR in Jordan. 

Also, it has also contributed an additional $37 million to Syrian and Iraqi regional funding. Japan has also extended its support to Syrian refugees in other ways.

JICA has been working with the UNHCR to promote employment and income opportunities for refugees through key initiatives such as electrical training focused on managing solar power plants within the camps and self-employment skills training.