Myanmar goalkeeper to be granted asylum in Japan: Reports
Tokyo, Japan
Japanwill grantasylumto a footballer fromMyanmar's national team who raised an anti-coup salute during a match outside Tokyo and refused to fly home,reportssaid Friday.
SubstitutegoalkeeperPyae Lyan Aung raised the three-finger salute as the national anthem played before a World Cup qualifier againstJapanin May.
He then said he had decided to seekasyluminJapanbecause his life would be "in danger" if he returned toMyanmar.
The Southeast Asian country has been in turmoil since the military's February coup, with over 900 killed and more than 7,000 arrested in a bloody crackdown, according to a local monitoring group.
The three-finger salute has frequently been used as a show of resistance by protesters during demonstrations.
Multiple major Japanese media outlets, citing anonymous sources, said the government had decided to grant the player refugee status.
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The footballer's lawyer told AFP he was not aware of the outcome of theasylumclaim, adding that his client was due toreportto Osaka immigration office on August 20.
Public broadcaster NHK saidJapan's immigration agency planned to certify the player's refugee status next week. The agency was not immediately reachable for comment.
Japanaccepts just dozens ofasylumapplications each year.
But in May, the justice ministry saidMyanmarresidents already in the country would be able to extend their stays as an emergency measure.
Also in May, two officials atMyanmar's embassy in Tokyo were dismissed as the junta sacked diplomatic staff around the world who had opposed the coup.
The embassy toldJapan's foreign ministry that diplomatic visas for the pair would no longer be valid -- but no action has been taken to revoke their visas, a ministry official told AFP on Friday.