Asylum - Refuge (English spelling)

It refers to the act of seeking asylum in a foreign country to escape or avoid political oppression from one's own government or oppression for religious or ethnic reasons. Currently, individuals belong to a country in principle, and therefore, even if they are in a foreign country, if they cannot obtain protection (domestic relief) through the laws and institutions of the country where they are located, they should be able to seek diplomatic protection from their home government. However, in the case of refugees, they are in a state of uncertainty because they are being oppressed or persecuted by the government of their home country, where they should be seeking protection, or there is a strong possibility that they will be oppressed or persecuted. In the case of stateless people, they are in a similar position if they are persecuted by the government of their permanent residence. The official translation of refugee in Japan is "refugee," but it has traditionally been translated as "exile," with refugees being used when there is a relatively large group, and exiles being used when there is only one or a small number of people.

As such, refugees and asylum seekers require international protection. After the Second World War, the International Refugee Organization (IRO) was established, but in 1951 its operations were taken over by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (Asylum Seekers) was concluded on July 28, 1951, and was supplemented by a Protocol on January 31, 1967. This Convention stipulates the principle of "non-refoulement," which means that refugees must not be returned to a country where they will face persecution. Japan also joined the Convention and Protocol on January 1, 1982, and revised the Immigration Control Order to become the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.

[Shigeki Miyazaki]

"Asylum and Immigration Law" by Shigeki Miyazaki (1971, Tsukiji Shokan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

本国政府からの政治的弾圧や宗教的・民族的理由による圧迫を逃れ、またはそれを避けるために外国に庇護(ひご)を求める行為をいう。現在個人は原則としていずれかの国家に所属し、そのため、外国にいる場合でも、その所在地国の法律や機関によって保護（国内的救済）が得られない場合には、本国政府の外交的保護を求めることができるはずである。しかし、亡命者の場合は、その保護を求めるべき本国の政府自体から弾圧、迫害を受けており、または受けるおそれが強いため保護が受けられず、不安な状態にある。無国籍者の場合でも、定住所地の政府から迫害を受けると同様の立場になる。refugeeの日本での公定訳は「難民」であるが、従来は亡命者と訳した場合もあり、難民はある程度まとまった集団の場合、亡命者は1人または少数の場合に用いられた。

　亡命者・難民については、それゆえ国際的な保護が必要になる。第二次世界大戦後も、国際難民機関（IRO）が設けられたが、1951年国連難民高等弁務官事務所がその事業を継承した。1951年7月28日「難民（亡命者）の地位に関する条約」が結ばれ、1967年1月31日の議定書により補完された。同条約は、難民は迫害の待つ国に送還してはならぬとする「ノン・ルフールマン」の原則を定めており、日本も、同条約・議定書に1982年（昭和57）1月1日から加入し、出入国管理令を改定して「出入国管理及び難民認定法」とした。

［宮崎繁樹］

『宮崎繁樹著『亡命と入管法』（1971・築地書館）』

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