Croatia Apprehends 22 illegal aliens bound for Italy

Croatia arrested 22 ethnic Albanian immigrants who were hiding in Zagreb waiting to be smuggled to Italy, police said. Investigators are still looking for the smugglers.

Croatia is said to be part of a major human smuggling route to Western Europe, but it has attempted to tighten its borders in the past two years as it presses for membership of the European Union. The government has cut the number of illegal immigrants from 24,000 two years ago to 17,000 last year.

The immigrants were Yugoslav citizens, who had entered Croatia in small groups. Yugoslavia accounts for about half of the illegal immigrants passing through Croatia.

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Japan to Relax Rules for Refugee Status

Japan's Justice Ministry says it plans to relax rules and procedures for individuals seeking refugee status by extending the application period and improving steps for their protection. The ministry plans to submit a bill to revise the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law, with revisions designed by a private advisory council's subcommittee on refugees, put together by Justice Minister Mayumi Moriyama. Moriyama has been criticized for failing to properly handle a situation in May involving five North Koreans seeking asylum.

Under the current system, individuals seeking refugee status must apply within 60 days of entering the country. The revised bill will extend this period to six to twelve months. In cases where applicants face deportation, the changes will allow deportation to be postponed until a decision can be made about their refugee status. In order to protect those awaiting a decision, the new rules call for proper lodging facilities to be made available, other than detention facilities.

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Worldwide Migrant Numbers Have Doubled Since 1975

According to a new chart provided by the UN Population Division, the number of migrants in the world has more than doubled since 1975, with about 175 million people living outside the country of their birth.

Europe is the top continental destination, with Germany, France and Britain attracting a total of 56 million people. Asia is second, attracting 50 million migrants. North America ranks third, although the United States is the country that attracts more migrants (35 million) than any other in the world. Canada contributes six million to North America's total.

Members of the Division say without immigration, the population of countries such as Canada, Japan, Italy, Germany and Spain would decline and age rapidly.

Division figures also show that about 40 percent of countries have policies aimed at lowering immigration levels.