Third in a series
The rising number of foreigners applying for refugee status in Japan has put a strain on nonprofit organizations aiding the underprivileged — and many are relying on donations to cope with the situation.
According to a report released by the Justice Ministry in March, 954 people filed for refugee status in 2006, 2 1/2 times more than the previous year. In that year, the government granted refugee status to 34 people, some of whom had been waiting in limbo for years.