A man of North African origin celebrates with his lawyer in Osaka’s Kita Ward after the Osaka District Court recognizes him as a refugee on July 4. (Takuya Asakura)OSAKA—In an epoch-making ruling, the Osaka District Court ordered the government to grant refugee status to an African who fears his family in his home country will kill him because he is gay. The man came to Japan with his partner at the end of 2019 and applied for refugee status nine days later. The man told the court that his family members continuously sprayed him with a hose after he was seen with his gay lover. Japan has come under criticism for its low rate of granting refugee status compared with other industrialized nations.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 05, 2024 08:18 UTC