MigrantoImmigrants in Japan
3.4M foreigners live in Japan — 3% of the country's population
Immigrants in Japan by country
The 3 largest groups make up 53% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| China | 809893 |
| Vietnam | 589874 |
| South Korea | 393944 |
| Philippines | 319772 |
| Brazil | 207220 |
| Nepal | 185644 |
| Indonesia | 157343 |
| Myanmar | 92214 |
| USA | 62509 |
| Taiwan | 62144 |
| Thailand | 61263 |
| India | 49313 |
| Sri Lanka | 49037 |
| Peru | 47836 |
| Bangladesh | 28989 |
| Pakistan | 25754 |
| Cambodia | 24912 |
| North Korea | 23696 |
| Mongolia | 20179 |
| United Kingdom | 19617 |
| France | 15078 |
| Hong Kong | 13895 |
| Australia | 11962 |
| Russia | 11547 |
| Canada | 11477 |
| Malaysia | 11275 |
| Germany | 8181 |
| Uzbekistan | 6912 |
| Bolivia | 6454 |
| Turkey | 6403 |
| Afghanistan | 6050 |
| Italy | 5245 |
| Ukraine | 4229 |
| Iran | 4201 |
| Nigeria | 3939 |
| Spain | 3896 |
| Laos | 3865 |
| New Zealand | 3785 |
| Mexico | 3503 |
| Singapore | 3472 |
| Argentina | 3266 |
| Ghana | 2838 |
| Colombia | 2655 |
| Egypt | 2236 |
| Romania | 2212 |
| Paraguay | 2201 |
| Sweden | 1820 |
| Netherlands | 1798 |
| Poland | 1756 |
| Syria | 1451 |
| South Africa | 1415 |
| Switzerland | 1323 |
| Ireland | 1295 |
| Cameroon | 1290 |
| Chile | 1177 |
| Belgium | 1063 |
| Kenya | 1041 |
| Senegal | 1032 |
| Denmark | 937 |
By region of origin
86% of immigrants come from Asia
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Key facts
Immigrants in Japan in numbers
Immigration drives population growth
475% of the population growth of Japan since 1990 came from immigrants.
People born in Vietnam are the fastest-growing group
The number of people born in Vietnam living in Japan has grown 375% since 2015, from 124.2K to 589.9K.
Immigrants come from a wider range of countries than in 1990
The largest group's share fell from 64% to 24%.
The map of origins has changed since 1990
7 countries have entered the top 20 origins since 1990: Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka. Nepal climbed from outside the top 20 to #6.
Immigrant population in Japan over time
Foreigners living in Japan, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 1044821 |
| 1995 | 1324933 |
| 2000 | 1644066 |
| 2005 | 1955475 |
| 2010 | 2155655 |
| 2015 | 2570564 |
| 2020 | 3269026 |
| 2024 | 3409328 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Japan, by year
| Year | Chinese | Vietnamese | South Koreans | Filipinos | Brazilians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 139964 | 5917 | 668326 | 43498 | 44136 |
| 1995 | 214379 | 8743 | 642133 | 71122 | 160061 |
| 2000 | 321374 | 15884 | 608398 | 136170 | 245685 |
| 2005 | 489363 | 27028 | 569953 | 178582 | 293140 |
| 2010 | 672253 | 40627 | 540208 | 205883 | 243605 |
| 2015 | 758791 | 124232 | 521159 | 243934 | 176123 |
| 2020 | 917070 | 437740 | 451485 | 306758 | 211713 |
| 2024 | 809893 | 589874 | 393944 | 319772 | 207220 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Japan
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Japan
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Japan?
Around 3.4M immigrants live in Japan — the world's #19 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Japan are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 3% of the population of Japan — that's 3.4M out of a total population of 124M.
Where do most immigrants in Japan come from?
Most immigrants in Japan come from China, Vietnam and South Korea — these three countries account for about 53% of all immigrants.
How many Chinese live in Japan?
Around 809.9K Chinese live in Japan — about 24% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Japan growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Japan has grown from 2.6M to 3.4M, about 33%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Japan come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Japan. Their children born in Japan are not included.
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Living in Japan
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