MigrantoImmigrants in Japan
3.4M foreign-born residents — the #19 largest immigrant population in the world
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 53% of all immigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| 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
Asia is the leading region of origin at 86%
2.9M
274.3K
80K
74K
15.7K
13.8K
7.9K
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in Japan.
Immigration is a key driver of population growth
475% of the population growth of Japan since 1990 came from new immigrants, reflecting immigration's central demographic role.
Vietnam is the fastest-growing major source
Immigration from Vietnam has increased by 375% since 2015, rising from 124.2K to 589.9K in 9 years.
Immigration sources have diversified since 1990
The top source country's share fell from 64% to 24%, indicating a broader spread of origins.
Top source countries have shifted significantly since 1990
7 new countries have entered the top 20: Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka — Nepal rose from outside the top 20 to rank #6.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 1044821 |
| 1995 | 1324933 |
| 2000 | 1644066 |
| 2005 | 1955475 |
| 2010 | 2155655 |
| 2015 | 2570564 |
| 2020 | 3269026 |
| 2024 | 3409328 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | China | Vietnam | South Korea | Philippines | Brazil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
Japan as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in Japan
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many immigrants live in Japan?
Around 3.4M foreign-born residents live in Japan, making it the #19-largest immigrant population in the world.
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 foreign-born residents.
What share 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.
How has immigration to Japan changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the immigrant population in Japan has grown from 2.6M to 3.4M people, a growth of about 33%.
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