Speaker
Mr. Keiichi Kamiya
Manager, Ukraine Evacuees Support Center, Social Innovation Team, Planning & Communications Division, Nippon Foundation
Asia and Middle East Program
Seminars
SPF Public Symposium
“Current Situations of Ukrainian Evacuees in Japan – Towards Inclusive Societies and the Future of Education”
Co-hosts: Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) Asia and Middle East Program, Non-profit Organization (NPO) Forum for Refugees Japan (FRJ), NPO Citizen's Network for Global Activities (CINGA)
Cooperation: The Nippon Foundation
Cooperation: The Nippon Foundation
In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022, there have been over 2,000 Ukrainian evacuees residing in Japan. In support of Ukrainian citizens who evacuated to Japan, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) has established telephone counseling for Ukrainian refugees (Support Center for Refugees Japan = Support-R) on May 19, 2022, together with non-profit organizations (NPOs), Citizen's Network for Global Activities (CINGA) and Forum for Refugees Japan (FRJ).
Support-R produced and disseminated the guides for the evacuees who have just arrived at Japan and FAQ for their stay in Japan. It also has provided counseling for the people who plan to evacuate to Japan and Ukrainian evacuees in Japan. Through the counseling, we found that they have various difficulties such as mental health, issuance of visa, evacuation process, accommodation, separation with family members and learning of Japanese.
In Japan, under the support of local governments and international exchange associations, efforts have been made to accept Ukrainian evacuee children in primary and junior high schools. On the other hand, there were concerns about difficulties in continuing education (including Japanese language learning), especially for upper secondary students, who are not in the age of compulsory education. Therefore, SPF organized an education survey for Ukrainian upper secondary students in Japan from October to November 2022 in collaboration with the Embassy of Ukraine in Japan and the Nippon Foundation.
Based on the results of the above survey, SPF, CINGA and FRJ, with the representatives of the concerned organizations, will hold a seminar to take stock of current situations of Ukrainian evacuees in Japan, and share the results of activities of Support-R and other relevant organizations. We would like to share what we have learned so far and encourage discussions to improve ways in providing adequate educational opportunities for evacuees and people with foreign roots towards more inclusive societies in Japan.
We look forward to your participation.
Support-R produced and disseminated the guides for the evacuees who have just arrived at Japan and FAQ for their stay in Japan. It also has provided counseling for the people who plan to evacuate to Japan and Ukrainian evacuees in Japan. Through the counseling, we found that they have various difficulties such as mental health, issuance of visa, evacuation process, accommodation, separation with family members and learning of Japanese.
In Japan, under the support of local governments and international exchange associations, efforts have been made to accept Ukrainian evacuee children in primary and junior high schools. On the other hand, there were concerns about difficulties in continuing education (including Japanese language learning), especially for upper secondary students, who are not in the age of compulsory education. Therefore, SPF organized an education survey for Ukrainian upper secondary students in Japan from October to November 2022 in collaboration with the Embassy of Ukraine in Japan and the Nippon Foundation.
Based on the results of the above survey, SPF, CINGA and FRJ, with the representatives of the concerned organizations, will hold a seminar to take stock of current situations of Ukrainian evacuees in Japan, and share the results of activities of Support-R and other relevant organizations. We would like to share what we have learned so far and encourage discussions to improve ways in providing adequate educational opportunities for evacuees and people with foreign roots towards more inclusive societies in Japan.
We look forward to your participation.
- Contact
- Asia and Middle East Program, Sasakawa Peace Foundation (Iwashina/Lockman)
E-mail: asia-middleeast@spf.or.jp
Tel: 03-5157-5160
For media inquiries:
Public Relations Division, Communication Department
E-mail: spfpr@spf.or.jp
Tel: 03-5157-5395
Description
| 14:00-14:05 | Opening Remarks Dr. Atsushi Sunami (President, Sasakawa Peace Foundation) |
| 14:05-14:20 | Keynote Speech (Video) H.E. Dr. Sergiy Korsunsky (Ukraine Ambassador to Japan) |
| 14:20-14:27 | Speech 1: Overall situation of refugees in the world Mr. Ayaki Ito (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative in Japan) |
| 14:27-14:34 | Part 1: Policy of acceptance and the current situation of the Ukrainian evacuees Speech 2: Immigration policy and assistance for Ukrainian evacuees Mr. Masahiro Yamagata (Deputy Director, Border Management Division, Immigration Services Agency of Japan) |
| 14:34-14:41 | Speech 3: Assistance for Japanese learning Mr. Kyosuke Soda (Senior Specialist for Evaluation of Japanese Language Education, Japanese Language Division, Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan) |
| 14:41-14:51 | Q&A |
| 15:00-15:10 | Part 2: Support and activities by civil societies Report 1: Assistance for Ukrainian evacuees by the Nippon Foundation Mr. Keiichi Kamiya (Manager, Ukraine Evacuees Support Center, Social Innovation Team, Planning & Communications Division, Nippon Foundation) |
| 15:10-15:28 | Report 2: Report by Citizen’s Network for Global Activities (CINGA) "What We Learned about Supporting Supporters through Support Center for Refugees Japan (Support-R)" Ms. Ritsuko Aoyagi (Support-R Consultation Coordinator/ Administrative scrivener/ Social Worker) "Activity Reports on Phone Consultation Center in Ukrainian (Support-Ukr.)" Ms. Zhuravel Olha (Ukrainian evacuee, psychologist of Support-R) "Challenges on Teaching Japanese to Ukrainian Evacuees and Our New Approach" Ms. Miho Nakagawa (Support-R Consultation Coordinator/ Japanese language teacher) |
| 15:28-15:43 | Report 3: Report of Forum for Refugees Japan (FRJ) “Lessons Learned: Japan’s Response to Protect People Fleeing From Ukraine” Ms. Mutsumi Akasaka (Director, FRJ) |
| 15:43-15:53 | Q&A |
| 16:00-16:15 | Part 3: Report and Panel Discussion: Assistance of education Report 4: Education Survey for Ukrainian Upper Secondary Students in Japan Mr. Itsu Adachi (Executive Director, Sasakawa Peace Foundation) Ms. Masako Iwashina (Program Officer, Sasakawa Peace Foundation) |
| 16:15-17:00 | Panel Discussion Panelists: Dr. Junichi Akashi (Professor, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba) Ms. Iki Tanaka (Project Director, Multicultural Children and Youth Japanese Language School, NPO Youth Support Center) Moderator: Ms. Mieko Ishikawa (General Director/Social Worker, International Social Services Japan) |
| 17:00 | Closing Remarks: Ms. Kaoru Yamaguchi (Director, FRJ) |
Speakers
Speaker
Ms. Ritsuko Aoyagi
Support-R Consultation Coordinator/ Administrative scrivener/ Social Worker
Speaker
Ms. Zhuravel Olha
Ukrainian evacuee, psychologist of Support-R
Speaker
Ms. Miho Nakagawa
Support-R Consultation Coordinator/ Japanese language teacher
Speaker
Ms. Mutsumi Akasaka
Director, FRJ
Speaker
Mr. Itsu Adachi
Executive Director, Sasakawa Peace Foundation
Speaker
Ms. Masako Iwashina
Program Officer, Sasakawa Peace Foundation
Panelist
Dr. Junichi Akashi
Ph.D. Professor, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Panelist
Ms. Iki Tanaka
Project Director, Multicultural Children and Youth Japanese Language School, NPO Youth Support Center
Moderator
Ms. Mieko Ishikawa
General Director/Social Worker, International Social Services Japan