Kurdish man from Kawaguchi arrested for assaulting woman living with him; refugee application rejected for fifth time; letter of thanks from Governor Ohno
Kurdish man from Kawaguchi arrested for assaulting woman living with him; refugee application rejected for fifth time; letter of thanks from Governor Ohno
Saitama Prefectural Police arrested a Kurdish man (36) of Turkish nationality on suspicion of assault after he punched and injured a woman living with him in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture.The man's fifth application for refugee status was rejected, and he was continuing to stay in the country while appealing the denial.That.
According to investigators, on the 11th of this month, the man got into an argument with a woman he lives with in Kawaguchi City, and hit her several times with his fist and his smartphone, causing injuries that took about a week to heal.
The man has lived in Kawaguchi City for over 20 years. He is currently on provisional release, an illegal status that means he has been temporarily released from immigration detention, and is essentially running a demolition company.He was presented with a letter of appreciation from Governor Motohiro Ohno for donating 100 million yen to the Saitama Prefectural Fund..
The man was said to have been known in the neighborhood and on social media, and drove luxury foreign cars and cruisers.
[See source for full text...]
The following is from X
[Posted by Sankei News]
＜Exclusive＞ A Kurdish man from Kawaguchi was arrested for assaulting a woman he was living with, and his refugee application was rejected for the fifth time. He also received a letter of thanks from Governor Ohno.https://t.co/g7iwX6NhJ0
The man's fifth application for refugee status was rejected, and he was continuing to stay in the country while appealing the denial.
The man has lived in Kawaguchi City for over 20 years.
— KST🇯🇵🌸👏 I really love Japan! (@kisata2408) March 19, 2025
I understand that he was in the process of appealing his denial of refugee status, right? If he was arrested during that process, it would leave an even worse impression. The review request is processed promptly and is not stopped, and if the result is rejected, the person is immediately deported, right?
Wow, Mahiru was assaulting people. His blood is thick after all. Why doesn't the government mention the Kurdish PKK terrorist organization in the first place? It's a terrorist organization recognized by the Turkish embassy. I can't help but feel suspicious about why they allowed the festival in Akigase.
Isn't it weird that you can stay by filing an appeal? You can stay forever lol
Nice work by Sankei Shimbun for including the headline "A letter of appreciation from Governor Ohno"! It shows the values of Governor Ohno, who gave a letter of appreciation to an illegal immigrant who was rejected for refugee status five times and hits women!
> He is continuing his stay, protesting against the denial of his visa. So even if he commits a crime and is arrested, he will not be arrested because he protested against the execution of the arrest warrant. Ah, we will see another influx of bad foreigners. The rule of law is collapsing.
What is this Kurd in Kawaguchi really like? He has been rejected five times for refugee status and has been in Japan for over 5 years. What's more, he got arrested for punching the woman he was living with. Is the governor crazy for a guy like this to receive a letter of appreciation?
Kawaguchi is really finished. Illegal Kurds are doing whatever they want, and even if they are arrested, they are not prosecuted. This is not a country governed by laws. I can't forgive it being like a special zone.
This guy is not a refugee, he's just a criminal. He applied five times and was rejected, but he's still staying and running a company. That's ridiculous. Japan is too lenient, so this guy is getting cocky.
I laughed when I heard that they received a letter of appreciation. What's going on with the Saitama prefectural government, that the governor is fawning over them just for making a donation? They're out of luck when they turn a blind eye to the illegal residence of Kurds.
He drives a luxury car and even owns a cruiser, how can he be a refugee? I can't forgive such a person doing whatever he wants in Japan. The government should deport him immediately.
The Kurdish issue in Kawaguchi is really bad. I don't understand why a violent person like that has been here for 20 years and even received a letter of appreciation. I feel so sorry for the locals.
The Japanese government is to blame for letting illegal immigrants commit crimes. If the number of people like this increases, public safety will collapse. Take action before this spreads not only to Kawaguchi but to the whole country.
This guy makes all Kurds look shady. Isn't the refugee claim just a way to stay in the country? If this is allowed to happen, Japan is finished.
A letter of thanks for a donation of 100 million yen is so cheap, Saitama Prefecture. I doubt Governor Ohno's sense when he panders to illegal immigrants who we don't know what they're doing behind the scenes. Think about the security of Kawaguchi.
Isn't Kawaguchi a lawless area for Kurds? It's scary to think that a guy who gets arrested for hitting a woman is living a normal life. I wouldn't be able to stand it if someone like this lived in my neighborhood.
It's suspicious that he's clinging to Japan even though his refugee application has been rejected five times. If he's running a company and has money, he should go back to Turkey. He's just taking advantage of Japan's kindness.
This guy is not a refugee, he's just a criminal. He's got no sense that he's running a company after being rejected five times. He's getting cocky because Japan is so lenient.
I was shocked to hear that he received a letter of appreciation. The governor shouldn't be fawning over him just because he donated 100 million yen. Saitama is finished when they turn a blind eye to illegal residence.
Luxury cars and cruisers, where are the refugees? I can't forgive such a person doing whatever he wants in Japan. Send him back to Turkey.
The Kurdish issue in Kawaguchi is so bad. A violent man has been staying there for 20 years and even received a letter of appreciation. I feel so sorry for the locals.
What is the Japanese government doing, leaving these illegal immigrants to commit crimes? If the number of people like this increases, public safety will collapse. Take action quickly.
Looking at this guy makes the whole Kurdish people look suspicious. The refugee application is just a technique to stay in the country. If this goes through, Japan is finished.
A letter of thanks for a donation of 100 million yen is so cheap. Is Governor Ohno okay with pandering to illegal immigrants who we don't know what they're doing behind the scenes?
Kawaguchi is a lawless area for Kurds. It's scary to think that a guy who gets arrested for hitting a woman is living a normal life. It would be terrible if he lived in my neighborhood.
His refugee application has been rejected five times, but he's still clinging on to run a company. If he has money, he should go back to Türkiye. He's just taking advantage of Japan's kindness.
The most hilarious thing is that he got a letter of appreciation. I wonder if the governor is in on it. He wants us to do something about the Kurdish issue in Kawaguchi.
Illegal immigrants driving around in luxury cars and committing acts of violence... Japan is being underestimated. It's scary to think that there are many people like this, not just this guy.
I really don't have a good impression of the Kurds in Kawaguchi. They've been staying illegally for 20 years and they're okay with being arrested. It's proof that they have a rotten attitude towards Japan. They should be deported.
They're just using the word refugee and doing whatever they want. The company they're running is suspicious. Aren't they paying taxes? Check it out.
What pisses me off the most is that he got a letter of thanks. So illegal residence is OK if you donate? It's ridiculous that the residents of Kawaguchi live in fear of this guy.
If there are more Kurds like this guy, Japan will no longer be Japan. The government should not be so lenient. He is a criminal, so deport him.
Looking at the situation in Kawaguchi makes me want to kick out all the Kurds. The fact that a guy who beats women is running a company is just exploiting Japan.
What's with them being left here illegally and committing crimes? If your application has been rejected five times, you should just go home. Japan is finished, and someone like this can get a letter of appreciation.
The Kurdish issue is a mess in Kawaguchi. It's ridiculous that violent illegal immigrants are driving around in luxury cars. The government needs to wake up.
When I heard about this incident that occurred in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, I honestly couldn't hide my surprise. The news that a Kurdish man of Turkish nationality was arrested for assaulting the woman he was living with was shocking. I was particularly shocked by the fact that this man had applied for refugee status five times, each of which had been rejected, yet he had stayed in Japan for more than 5 years. What's more, I was also confused by the fact that he was essentially running a demolition company and had received a letter of appreciation from Saitama Governor Ohno Motohiro. I feel that this series of events highlights the issues facing Japanese society.
First, when we think about the incident itself, acts of violence are never acceptable. From the victim's point of view, hitting a woman who lives with him with a clenched fist and a smartphone, causing injuries that took about a week to heal, can only be frightening and painful. I feel strong indignation that this kind of violence occurred within a family. I strongly believe that no one should ever be hurt, no matter what the reason. That being said, I am curious about what kind of life this man led on a daily basis. From reports that he drove luxury foreign cars and cruisers and was well-known in the neighborhood and on social media, he seems to have had a stable life rather than being a refugee in financial difficulty. I just cannot understand this gap.
I also have serious doubts about the situation in which he is staying in Japan on provisional release. Provisional release means that one has been temporarily released from detention in an immigration facility, but legally this is illegal residence. How is it possible that he has continued to live in Japan for over 20 years and even managed a company? I find it strange that Japan's immigration control system allows such a case to occur. I think that there should have been some kind of clear response when his refugee application was rejected five times.
My honest thoughts about the Japanese government
Throughout this case, what I felt most strongly was my frustration with the Japanese government's response. I wholeheartedly sympathize with the comments in the section saying, "Japanese government, get your act together!" I cannot understand why this man is able to live so freely when it is clear that he is staying here illegally. It is certainly important to support people who seek protection as refugees. However, that does not mean that we should accept all cases unconditionally. In particular, I believe that the situation in which people are able to continue to stay for long periods of time despite having weak grounds for refugee status, as in the case of this man, should be reconsidered.
After doing some research on the Kurdish Autonomous Region of Turkey, I found that it is a vast area and that there are many Kurds who are politicians, teachers, business people, and scholars. Of course, not all Kurds live safe and prosperous lives. There may be cases of persecution and discrimination. Still, when I see this man living a life in Japan where he drives a luxury car and runs a company, I can understand the comment, "How is he a refugee?" To me, he seems to be staying in Japan for economic and personal reasons, rather than being a refugee. I think that leaving this situation as it is is in danger of Japan becoming a "help hut for cunning foreigners."
I think it's wonderful that Japan is a country that is kind enough to help those in need. However, we must avoid situations where that kindness is abused. I feel that this incident is a perfect example of this balance being lost. I cannot help but wish that the Japanese government would apply stricter and fairer rules. When illegal immigrants commit crimes, they should promptly take legal action, and refugee applications should also be reviewed quickly and clearly. Even from an ordinary citizen's perspective, it seems to me that the current ambiguity is complicating the issue.
Impact on society and future challenges
This incident also forced me to think deeply about the impact it will have on the local community. Kawaguchi City is known as an area where the Kurdish community is located. Many Kurds work in demolition and other jobs, which seems to help alleviate Japan's labor shortage. However, I have also heard reports of friction between them and local residents. I am worried that this assault will cast a further shadow on these relationships. There is no denying that this violent incident could lead to the spread of prejudice and distrust against the Kurdish people as a whole. This would be unfortunate for other Kurds who live in good faith.
In my opinion, in order to solve these problems, we need to carefully assess each case, rather than simply generalizing everyone as "foreigners." If this man is not a refugee, but is in Japan to work or for personal reasons, that fact should be made clear. Furthermore, I would like to see stronger mechanisms for dealing with illegal residence in Japan appropriately and in accordance with the law. At the same time, we need a system to offer protection to refugees who are truly fleeing persecution. Only when we have a balanced policy that is not biased in either direction can we arrive at a solution that satisfies society as a whole.
I also think that the role of the media is important. As this incident spread on social media and voices such as "another Kurdish illegal immigrant has caused trouble," it is easy to lose calm discussion. I also became emotional at first, but upon reflection, it is clear that not all Kurds are the same. I think that those who report on this issue need to be careful not to promote prejudice while accurately reporting the facts. Otherwise, an already complicated issue will only become even more complicated.
Ultimately, through this incident, I was reminded of the difficulties of Japan's foreigner policy. Dealing with people who repeatedly apply for refugee status, managing illegal immigrants, and coexisting with the local community. These issues are not something that can be solved overnight. Still, the longer we leave them, the worse the situation will become. I feel that the time has come for the government and citizens to seriously consider how to ensure that Japan remains a safe and fair country. I hope that this incident will be a catalyst for that.
Comment