The Sankei Shimbun 
The image posted by the UNHCR Japan office on its official X account on February 15.
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On February 15, the Japan office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) posted an image on its official X (formerly Twitter) account. In this image, the office categorized "forced deportation" as something that "must be thrown in the trash," leading to a flood of criticism on X.Comments from users included "Deporting illegal immigrants is a sovereign right of any nation."
In response, the office revised the image, explaining that it "may have caused misunderstandings."
This image depicted an illustration of a trash bin containing 11 words, including "hate," "prejudice," and "misinformation." Among these words was "forced deportation."
Public Backlash
Criticism quickly followed:
- "They've quietly slipped 'forced deportation' in there, but deporting illegal immigrants is standard practice in any law-abiding nation. What are they thinking by throwing it in the trash?"
- "What should actually be thrown away are illegal foreign residents, fake refugees, and the organizations supporting them. I want to bring back a Japan where Japanese people can live safely."
- "Are they affiliated with USAID?"
Refoulement
The image was based on an original post by UNHCR's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on its official X account in late 2024. "Refoulement" was the term its used in the original image, which the Japanese office translated into Japanese as "forced deportation."
UNHCR's original text merely calls for adherence to the "non-refoulement principle" under the Refugee Convention, which prohibits returning asylum seekers to countries where they may face persecution. However, by translating "refoulement" as "forced deportation," the meaning shifted, implying opposition to deportation, including that of illegal immigrants.
On the evening of February 17, the Japan office revised and reposted the image, replacing "forced deportation" with a katakana transliteration of "refoulement."
UNHCR Responds to Criticism
In response to inquiries, the office explained, "We used the term 'forced deportation' to make it easier for the general public to understand. However, given the character limits on social media, we acknowledge that our explanation was insufficient, which may have caused misunderstandings."
A former UNHCR Japan office staff member commented on the issue. "It's beyond comprehension that the Japan office would casually suggest tossing a sovereign act like forced deportation in the trash," they said. "What were they thinking?"
Established in 1979, the UNHCR Japan office is situated in Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo. It consists of about 20 staff members, including Japanese and foreign employees, who engage in refugee assistance and awareness-raising activities. UNHCR's Geneva headquarters allocates its budget, which various countries and private donations fund.
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Author: The Sankei Shimbun
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