Kurds in Japan

Kurds in Japan
*Kurdên Japonyayê*
在日クルド人 (*Zainichi Kurudo-jin*)
Total population
	More than 2,000–3,000
Regions with significant populations
	Southern Saitama (Kawaguchi, Warabi)
Languages
	Kurdish, Turkish

Kurds in Japan (Japanese: 在日クルド人, Zainichi Kurudo-jin, Kurdish: Kurdên Japonyayê) refers to Kurds residing in Japan. Kurds do not have a majority nation state and live in Kurdistan, a region that includes Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq in the Middle East and South Caucasus. After an increase in anti-migration sentiment on social platforms like X, some individuals from Turkey falsely claimed to be Kurds and spread hate. This led many Japanese people to perceive Kurds as a significant threat, with some even calling for their massacre due to a lack of knowledge about Kurdish people. As a result, Kurds in Japan are living stressful lives, and many are deciding to leave the country.^[2]^[3]

^ "川口のクルド人は「夜の巡回」で共生を目指す SNSで強まる非難…でも「この街を故郷と思っている」". Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). 2023-11-22.
^ "Social media posters abroad fuel hatred of Kurds in Japan". The Asahi Shimbun. 2024-06-05.
^ "Hate speech escalates against Kurds living close to Tokyo". The Asahi Shimbun. 2024-04-20.

[1] "川口のクルド人は「夜の巡回」で共生を目指す SNSで強まる非難…でも「この街を故郷と思っている」". Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). 2023-11-22.

[2] "Social media posters abroad fuel hatred of Kurds in Japan". The Asahi Shimbun. 2024-06-05.

[3] "Hate speech escalates against Kurds living close to Tokyo". The Asahi Shimbun. 2024-04-20.

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[2]

[3]

Total population
More than 2,000–3,000^[1]
Regions with significant populations
Southern Saitama (Kawaguchi, Warabi)
Languages
Kurdish, Turkish