Japan accepted just 28 refugees in last year, one more than it took in 2015, underscoring its ultra-strict approach to asylum at a time when other nations are increasingly reluctant to take in people fleeing war or persecution.
The tiny number of successful claims held steady despite a 44 per cent jump in claims for refugee status to 10,901. That meant a success rate for asylum claims of 0.26 per cent.
As restrictions on asylum seekers spread around the world, including moves by president Donald Trump to ban people from certain countries from entry to the US, the figures highlight how Japan has long operated a system to deter and reject most seeking asylum.