Immigration security

Japan accepts 27 refugees last year, rejects 99%

Japan accepted only 27 refugees last year and rejected almost all applications, officials said Saturday, as rights groups urged the government to allow more people in.

The country has long been nervous about an influx of refugees into its homogeneous society and has tightly restricted the number it accepts.

Of the thousands seeking refugee status, five were Syrian, only three of which were accepted — a far cry from the massive influx of Syrians into Europe from the war-torn Middle East nation last year.