This year, Pathways Japan welcomed a total of 26 new students from Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine to Japan.
*Click here for more information on this year’s admission and self-reliance support program.
We would like to share the speeches given by four student representatives at the welcome party so that you can get a sense of their thoughts.
*At the welcome party, one student from Syria and one from Afghanistan—who were unable to travel to Japan at the time—also delivered messages via video.
Alaaaldin（Syria）
First of all I would like to thank Pathways Japan and Tokyo Meisei Japanese Language Academy for the great opportunity and for choosing me for this program and for all the support so far, I truly appreciate it and it means everything to me.
This program will allow me to achieve my dreams of moving to Japan and becoming a part of Japanese society which I have always wanted.
I really appreciate the Japanese culture of time, respect and punctuality as well as other aspects that I enjoy like food, anime and respect for others. All of these points made me want to move here a long time ago and it became true thanks to this program.
Pathways Japan and Tokyo Meisei Japanese Language Academy didn’t only help me move here but also provide the path forward to learn Japanese and find a part time job which will be essential for smooth integration into the Japanese society and becoming the best version of myself.
Before coming here I had to face many challenges starting with the civil war in Syria which forced me to move Yemen in 2013 and soon after, I moved to Saudi Arabia in 2015 due to the civil war also in Yemen.
This led to me losing a sense of stability and feeling uneasy all the time. In Saudi Arabia I managed to find a job but as a Syrian there I couldn’t improve further and had to move out to improve my life and I started visiting back my dream of moving to Japan which is finally made possible thanks to Pathways Japan.
After finishing the Japanese language school I’ll be applying for a master’s degree in cloud computing and virtualization.
This degree will be a big leap of improvement for me in my field. This leap will hopefully help me land a good position in some of the big IT firms in Japan and finally have the sense of stability I have missed since leaving Syria.
Fatima（Afghanistan）
Hello everyone.
My name is Fatima, and I am from Afghanistan.
Before everything changed, I was living a very active life in Afghanistan. I was a member of the Afghan national Muay Thai team. At the same time, I was studying and also running a small business of my own. I always believed that if you work hard and stay strong, you can build your own future.
But the situation in Afghanistan changed very suddenly. Many girls lost the chance to continue their education, to work, and to follow their dreams freely. For women and girls, everyday life became very limited. Simple things — like going to school, choosing a career, or even walking outside freely — were taken away.
Like many others, I had to leave my country. I went to Kazakhstan, hoping to continue my education and keep moving forward. Starting over in a new place was not easy. Sometimes it felt like my dreams were very far away, and the future was not clear. But even during those hard times, I never stopped believing that my life should have meaning and purpose.
That is why coming to Japan means so much to me.
Through Pathways Japan, a new door has opened in my life. For the first time in a long time, I feel hope again. I feel that I am truly moving forward.
My goals here in Japan are clear in my heart.
First, I want to learn Japanese well and continue my education. I want to grow my knowledge and my skills so that I can become someone useful to society.
Second, and this is something very personal — I want to live a life where I have my basic rights as a girl and as a human being. The right to study. The right to work. The right to make my own choices. These are simple things, but in Afghanistan, they are no longer possible for girls like me. Here in Japan, I finally have that chance, and I do not take it for granted.
Third, I want to be a part of society — not just as a student, but as a person who contributes, who helps, and who makes a difference. One day, I hope to use what I learn here to create opportunities for other women and girls who are still waiting for their chance.
Japan has already shown great kindness to the Afghan people. Many Afghans remember Tetsu Nakamura, whom we lovingly called Kaka Murad. His dedication to helping communities in Afghanistan continues to inspire many of us. And today, being here in Japan, I feel connected to that same spirit of kindness.
I stand here today not only as Fatima, but as one voice among many Afghan girls who still dream of education, dignity, and opportunity. Some of my friends are watching this event online right now. I wish they could be here with us, but even from far away, they are part of this journey, and I carry them in my heart.
Afghan girls are strong. We are full of potential. What we need is simply a chance — a chance to learn, to grow, and to show the world what we can do.
I believe education can change lives. I believe that when women are given the chance, they make their communities and their societies stronger.
I am deeply grateful to Pathways Japan and to everyone who believed in us and made this opportunity possible. Your support has given us something very valuable — hope.
And I promise that I will use this opportunity not only to build my own future, but also to help open doors for others.
Thank you for believing in us.
Thank you very much.
Diana（Ukraine）
Nice to meet you.
My name is Diana. I am currently in my final year studying Corporate Finance at the University in Ukraine.
I have been studying Japanese for about four years, since the beginning of my university studies.
My interest in Japan started quite unexpectedly when I heard a song by Asian Kung-Fu Generation. I fell in love with the sound of the language and began studying it on my own. After some time, I realized that I wanted to learn it more seriously, so I started taking private lessons. What began as a simple interest gradually turned into a dream.
Today, thanks to the Pathways Japan program, I am able to stand here and have the opportunity to continue learning Japanese. I am sincerely grateful for this chance, because it gives me not only education, but also a sense of stability and hope for the future.
I would also like to share how the war has affected my life.
When the war in Ukraine began, I had just entered university. It was a time filled with uncertainty, fear, and constant stress. Like many students, I had to adapt very quickly to a new reality where planning even the near future became difficult.
The following year, I went to study in Germany. This experience was very important for me, as it taught me how to live independently and adapt to a new environment. However, even being abroad, it was emotionally challenging to stay connected to my home country and worry about my family and friends.
Unfortunately, the war in Ukraine is still ongoing. Life there remains very difficult. People continue to live under constant threat, and air raid alarms happen almost every day. These interruptions affect not only daily life but also education and mental well-being. It is hard to focus on studying or making plans when there is always uncertainty.
Despite these challenges, this experience has made me stronger and more determined. It has taught me to value opportunities, education, and personal growth even more.
That is why being here in Japan means so much to me.
I am determined to give my best and even more to improve my Japanese language skills. In the future, I would also like to pursue a second degree related to the fashion industry, combining my passion with my professional development.
Thank you very much for your attention.
Anna（Ukraine）
Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to be here and share my story with you today. It truly means a lot to me.
The most difficult part of war is saying goodbye — to your family, your home, and the life you once knew. Sometimes, you don’t even have the time to say it properly.
From my experience, war holds the hardest goodbyes. But at the same time, it teaches something very important: to value every moment before it is gone. It taught me to take every opportunity, to live fully, and not to be afraid of uncertainty. It also made me stronger, and it is one of the reasons why I am able to stand here today.
My interest in Japan began in my childhood through spirituality. My grandmother introduced me to ideas from Shinto and Buddhism, and this inspired me to explore Japanese philosophy more deeply. Later, this interest grew into a passion for the Japanese language and culture.
For me, Japanese is not just a subject — it is something meaningful and calming. Each word and expression reflects a unique way of thinking, and that is what continues to inspire me.
As for my future, I want to build a career connected to Japan through business and cultural exchange. My goal is to study Economics or Business at International Christian University in Tokyo. In the future, I hope to create my own project or business that helps people discover Japan beyond common stereotypes, showing its deeper culture, values, and way of life.
I am forever grateful to the Pathways Japan community for giving me this opportunity. It is an important step toward my future, and a chance to grow.
Let’s make the most of this experience, support each other, and move closer to our dreams.
Thank you very much for listening。
The students we welcomed this academic year have begun new lives across Japan, in Miyagi, Chiba, Tokyo, Kyoto, Hyogo, Okayama, and Okinawa. In each of these regions, new connections are forming between young refugees and displaced persons and the wider community. Pathways Japan will continue to support the young people who took their first steps in Japan this spring as they pave their own futures. Furthermore, to open doors for the many other young people seeking educational opportunities, we will expand our initiatives in collaboration with educational institutions, businesses, government agencies, and our supporters.
The students we welcomed this academic year have begun new lives across Japan, in Miyagi, Chiba, Tokyo, Kyoto, Hyogo, Okayama, and Okinawa. In each of these regions, new connections are forming between young refugees and displaced persons and the wider community. Pathways Japan will continue to support the young people who took their first steps in Japan this spring as they pave their own futures. Furthermore, to open doors for the many other young people seeking educational opportunities, we will expand our initiatives in collaboration with educational institutions, businesses, government agencies, and our supporters.