The Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan protests US President Trump’s discriminatory measures against immigrants and refugees, and we express our solidarity with the voices and actions by people around the world against these measures.

President Trump has issued the Executive Orders to ban refugees as part of a broad　prohibition of border entry by citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries. This is a measure that unambiguously shows discrimination and exclusionism based on nationality, religion, etc., that violates the international human rights　treaties, including the Refugees Convention and the International Covenants on Human Rights. In strengthen measures against “illegal immigrants” by building a wall along the US-Mexico border. In response, a growing number of world leaders have expressed concerns and people around the world have raised their voices of protest and taken actions against him.

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ignored the criticism by saying “the United States immigration policy is ‘basically internal affairs;’ accordingly, we are dealing with refugees based on our own national immigration policies”. However, as a State party to the international human rights　treaties, such as the Refugees Convention and the International Covenants on Human Rights, Japan is under binding obligation to comply with the provisions of these conventions. Mr. Abe should not turn a blind eye to the illegal measures by President Trump who defies such obligations, which in effect and justifies Japan’s own refugee and immigration control policies that in themselves have been subject to severe international criticisms. We urge the Japanese government to take its international obligations in good faith as a nation that values principles of “freedoms” and “democracy,” and take a resolute stance against President Trump. We also urge Japanese corporations, particularly those in the airlines industry, key actors that comprise a democratic society to fulfill their social responsibilities which protects — rather than violate — human rights by unequivocally rejecting complicity in mass discrimination.

February 3, 2017
Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan