The government recognized 46 people as refugees in 2005, more than three times the figure for the previous year, the Justice Ministry said Friday.

The ministry also issued special residence permits to 97 people whose applications for asylum had been rejected but were allowed to stay in the country for humanitarian reasons. In 2004, nine people were granted such permits.

The combined number of those who were granted refugee status and special residence permits was the largest since 1982, when Japan began certifying refugees following the 1981 ratification of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.

Ministry officials said the increase may stem from the introduction of a review panel last May under which three people from a group of 19 independent experts chosen by the government offer their opinions on cases appealed by people whose applications for asylum have been turned down.

Forty-three of the 46 recognized as refugees are from Myanmar, which also topped the list of countries whose nationals sought asylum.

In 2005, 384 people filed new applications for refugee status, down by 42 from the previous year. Of the 2005 applications, 212 were from Myanmar.

Compared with past years, the number of applicants from Myanmar has seen a marked increase, with the number increasing more than fivefold since 2002, when a mere 38 applications were received.

Ministry officials cited rising political instability in the country as one possible reason for the increase.