UNITED NATIONS – Japan’s prime minister said that his nation needs to attend to its own demographic challenges posed by falling birth rates and an aging population before opening its doors to refugees.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced at the U.N. General Assembly that Japan is ramping up assistance in response to the exodus of refugees to Europe from the Middle East and Africa.

He said Japan will provide $1.5 billion in emergency aid for refugees and for stabilization of communities facing upheaval. But speaking to reporters he poured cold water on the idea of Japan opening its doors to those fleeing.

“I would say that before accepting immigrants or refugees we need to have more activities by women, by elderly people and we must raise (the) birth rate.

“I would say that before accepting immigrants or refugees we need to have more activities by women, by elderly people and we must raise (the) birth rate. There are many things that we should do before accepting immigrants”.

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