International Education as Complementary Pathways to Resettlement: The Case of Refugee Background Students in Japan

Education is a crucial component of human rights and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). This article examines how Pathways Japan's Japanese Language School Program for Syrians (JLSP) serves as an innovative solution to the challenges faced by forcibly displaced people seeking access to education abroad. The article draws on a qualitative study that contrasts different educational admission programs in Japan; however, the focus of this article is the Pathways Japan Program. This article will explore the Pathways Japan Language school program's structure, objectives, and support mechanisms that it provides to students with refugee backgrounds. Drawing on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with students and stakeholders, the study analyzes how the Pathways Japan program designs and implements these pathways, what motivates individuals to participate, what opportunities individuals have to access higher education after finishing the program, how the integration into new educational and social environments is implemented, and the potential for long-term resettlement of forcibly displaced people. The findings highlight both the innovative potential and the limitations of education-based pathways in the Japanese context, particularly regarding legal status, socio-economic support, and access to higher education. This article offers insight into the complexities of refugee resettlement through education and contributes to the broader discourse on refugee integration and resettlement policies and practices in Japan.