Obtaining accurate, reliable and objective country of origin information is essential to a just and fair determination process. Major refugee receiving countries have developed systems for collating and evaluating such information from a wide variety of sources including government and NGO reports as well as independent fact-finding missions. Japan is in the early stages of establishing such a body of information. One way of assisting in the process would be for UNHCR to provide objective evidence or an advisory opinion to the court. This role is as yet undeveloped in Japan. Although UNHCR would only be able to intervene at the judicial review stage and not in the first stage of refugee determination, it could nevertheless be a role which would be of mutual benefit to all parties. In the absence of a more developed system for providing objective information on the country of origin, if a procedure was developed whereby UNHCR could routinely provide advisory opinions and objective information it might have a number of benefits. First it would further mitigate reliance on issuing mandate status and second, the body of information could eventually be used to enhance the refugee determination decision-making and appeals process.