J-ROCK STAR AIMS TO CHANGE JAPAN’S TUNE ON REFUGEES
Most people know Miyavi as the “Samurai Guitarist”, but the Japanese rock idol and movie star has also been making an impact away from the stage and screen.
For the last six years he has taken an active interest in the plight of refugees worldwide, and in 2017 he was named a Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Advocating for refugees is not something one associates with people from Japan, one of the most homogeneous countries on Earth, and one that takes in only a handful of displaced people. But Miyavi is asking people to look beyond the numbers.
Although Japan took in only 42 refugees last year — accepting less than 1% of applicants — compared with 35,198 for the United States and 16,875 for Canada, Miyavi says the bump from 20 the year before was encouraging, albeit still underwhelming.
“As a UNHCR ambassador, I have to say, talking those numbers is like pulling teeth,” says Miyavi, 37, also known as Takamasa Ishihara.
“Of course we should try to bring [the numbers] up. But those figures are also misleading. I wonder how many people know Japan is the UNHCR’s fifth-largest donor. Japan may not easily give refugee status, but provides financial support.”
Japan’s UNHCR contribution of nearly US$120 million in 2018 was less than one-tenth of what the United States gave and around one-third of the contribution from Germany. In that respect, says Miyavi, his homeland is far from indifferent.
The Japanese government said in 2016 that it would sponsor up to 150 Syrian refugees as students over five years. Earlier this year, it announced a contribution of $72.5 million to assist UNHCR operations.
Many factors influence Japan’s policy to limit its intake, says Miyavi, including ability to integrate refugees, masked hostility among the population, and ethnic homogeneity.
“We need to consider more than just numbers. It’s more complex than that. It’s not that Japan is unwilling to receive refugees. It’s not that the US or Canada
are more generous. It’s not that one is better than the other,” he argues.
Compared to 2013, when Japan recognised only six refugees, it is true that the country’s doors have inched open wider to those fleeing civil unrest, war and persecution.
But the country has hardly rolled out the welcome mat to those in less fortunate circumstances, and the question remains: Is Japan meeting its moral obligation?
“I don’t think so,” says Kazuko Fushimi, a public relations official at the Japan Association for Refugees. “The number may have doubled but the world has more than 70 million people displaced.”
According to UNHCR’s Global Trends report, a record 70.8 million people — half of them under age 18 — were forcibly displaced globally as of the end of last year. These include refugees who fled their home country, internally displaced people, and asylum seekers who fled their home country but have not been recognised as refugees.
Germany (56,583) was home to the highest number of registered refugees in 2018. In the same year, Canada (28,100) overtook the United States (22,900) as the top permanent resettler of refugees after US President Donald Trump reduced the cap on admissions via executive order.
While Japan rejected 99% of refugee applications in 2018, South Korea’s approval rate was 3.1%, recognising 118 as refugees.
“Just looking at Asia, our neighbours South Korea accepted twice as many as Japan. We want Japan to follow international standards and accept more refugees. We want them to reconsider the evaluation process for refugee status,” Fushimi said.
Though admittedly frustrated with Japan’s slow response, Fushimi says she would like to believe the fear of foreignness is gradually waning, with now more than 2% of Japan’s total residents coming from overseas.
The government is also pushing for more foreigners to be admitted as it battles to overcome the demographic challenges that are severely affecting the labour market and economic growth.
“Until now, there was a lack of awareness and understanding of refugee issues. But now they seem to be getting a warmer welcome. We are very hopeful that celebrities like Miyavi can reach the hearts of young people and bring about change,” she said.
Miyavi says that for politically disengaged young people in Japan — for whom food, shelter and safety are a given — the current refugee crisis is not even happening because it is not happening here.
He knows because he was one of them, a politically apathetic, self-absorbed boy in Osaka.
Born to a Korean father and a Japanese mother, Miyavi is a household name in Japan and made inroads into the US market when he was cast by Angelina Jolie in the 2014 film Unbroken, which she directed.
After his surprise big-screen debut, an unexpected turn of events brought him to a refugee camp in Lebanon for the first time with Jolie, a UNHCR special envoy, in 2015.
“The refugee crisis is not a big topic in this country. Not everyone talks about it,” said Miyavi. “It happens far from our country and doesn’t affect our daily lives. It’s hard to see the urgency. That was me five years ago. But when I saw those kids in Lebanon, I decided to commit [to humanitarian activities].”
Today, in between studio sessions, tours and fatherly chores, Miyavi pays his own way to refugee camps where he interacts with displaced families. He calls it his “life’s work”, a responsibility he admits being both a privilege and a burden.
“I learn from Angelina Jolie. She’s my mentor. She’s been involved in activities for refugees for over 15 years and now as the special envoy, she gives speeches at UN conferences. She gathers the media, that’s how she uses her power,” he says.
“She has six kids and she’s doing all this. I have no excuse,” says Miyavi, the father of two daughters.
His rock star aesthetic — tattoos, piercings and silver-blue hair — often helps him connect with children, like the time a Syrian refugee boy with rockstar ambitions refused to leave his side during one of his field missions.
Miyavi, who is followed by more than 420,000 people on Instagram, hopes to
“In the past, people didn’t picture — I didn’t picture — a rock star at a refugee camp.
... Maybe it’s not your image of rock, but that’s how I rock”
see more young people like himself on the frontlines of humanitarian action. But he says he has never asked his fans to donate money or pressured them to get involved with charitable causes. That’s up to each individual, he stresses.
“I’m not saying you should all go visit refugee camps. Knowing is a start. You don’t even have to start now. If you’re a student you have a right to study, that’s a privilege. When the time comes, that’s when they can act,” he said.
“A fashion designer, a lawyer, a doctor, a dentist, whatever your profession is, there’s something we can all do. Give because you want to, not because someone tells you to.”
As he strives to bring order to a world he calls “twisted”, Miyavi, who has recently relocated to Tokyo from Los Angeles after announcing a new album and world tour, will ensure his music, UN role and family life work are in harmony.
“In the past, people didn’t picture — I didn’t picture — a rock star at a refugee camp wearing a light blue UNHCR cap bonding with kids through soccer and music,” he says.
“Maybe it’s not your image of rock, but that’s how I rock. To me, that’s the new rock. I think it’s cool, and it’s on us to make it cool so the younger generation will follow.”