Foreign Residents in Japan: A Growing Community

Japan passed four million foreign residents at the end of 2025, and the figures show who they are, where they live and why they came.

Published October 26, 2026 at 8:49 AM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: At the end of 2025, Japan had 4,125,395 foreign residents, up 9.5 percent in a year and the first time the total passed four million, according to the Immigration Services Agency. China, Vietnam, South Korea, the Philippines and Nepal were the five largest groups, and Tokyo was home to about 19 percent of all foreign residents.

When people ask how many foreigners live in Japan, the answer today is bigger than many expect, and it keeps growing. The newest official count covers the end of 2025 and was released in March 2026 by the Immigration Services Agency. This guide turns those statistics into a readable picture: how large the community is, which nationalities and residence statuses lead, where people settle, and what the numbers mean for neighborhoods and workplaces. It stays with official data and keeps a practical focus for anyone thinking of living, studying or working in Japan.

The record count at the end of 2025

The Immigration Services Agency, part of the Ministry of Justice, reports 4,125,395 foreign residents as of the end of December 2025. That is an increase of 356,418, or 9.5 percent, from 3,768,977 a year earlier, and it is the first time the total has passed four million.

The total combines 3,858,499 mid- to long-term residents and 266,896 special permanent residents. Men accounted for about 51.2 percent and women for 48.8 percent.

Reference sources put foreign residents at roughly 3.35 percent of Japan's estimated population of 123.2 million. For comparison, the same sources list about 2.89 million in 2020 and about 1.69 million in 2000, which shows how steadily the numbers have risen over a generation. The 2025 census also counts foreign residents within its total of about 123.05 million people.

Where residents come from

China leads with 930,428 residents, followed by Vietnam with 681,100, South Korea with 407,341, the Philippines with 356,579 and Nepal with 300,992. Indonesia (266,069), Brazil (210,014), Myanmar (182,567), Sri Lanka (79,128) and Taiwan (73,256) complete the top ten.

The agency notes that residence cards and special permanent resident certificates list 196 nationalities and regions, which shows how varied the community is. Every group in the top ten grew in 2025 except South Korea and Brazil, which each dipped by about 1,900 people, and Sri Lanka rose from twelfth place to ninth.

Large increases came from Nepal (about 68,000 more people), Indonesia (about 66,000), China (about 57,000), Myanmar (about 48,000) and Vietnam (about 47,000).

Why people come: residence statuses

The status of residence explains much of the story. The largest category is Permanent Resident, with 947,125 people. Next is Engineer, Specialist in Humanities and International Services, a work category with 475,790 people, followed by Student at 464,784, Technical Intern Training at 456,618 and Specified Skilled Worker at 390,296.

The Specified Skilled Worker status grew fastest in 2025, rising by about 105,830. The technical intern category was nearly unchanged. Reference sources say the Technical Intern Training Program is planned to be replaced by a new system called employment for skill development, scheduled to take effect in April 2027, and aimed at moving trained workers toward longer-stay visas.

Students and professionals also increased, by about 62,650 and 57,084 respectively. In practice, this means the community includes everyone from university students and engineers to long-term families who have lived in Japan for decades.

Where foreign residents live

Tokyo has the most foreign residents with 801,438, about 19.4 percent of the national total and an increase of roughly 62,000 over the year. Osaka follows with 375,319, then Aichi with 357,800, Kanagawa with 317,353 and Saitama with 290,937.

Together, these five prefectures cover the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya regions, the country's largest urban and industrial areas.

The census adds context. Only Tokyo and Okinawa grew in population between 2020 and 2025, while the other prefectures declined, so foreign residents form part of the demographic story in many regions. Services for newcomers differ by municipality, so the local city or ward office is the best place to ask.

What daily life looks like

For newcomers, the first steps revolve around paperwork. Mid- to long-term residents hold a residence card, and typical practical matters include registering at the local city or ward office, arranging insurance, opening a bank account and signing a mobile contract. Exact requirements depend on status and place, so confirm them with the municipal office. The site has a separate guide to opening a bank account as a foreign resident.

Parents will meet school and community routines, including the PTA, which the site also covers. Information for families differs by school and municipality, so it is worth asking early.

Language remains the biggest practical hurdle. Everyday services increasingly use apps and translation tools, yet it helps to learn basic Japanese phrases and to ask a local office about interpretation support.

Reading the statistics correctly

The official count covers people living in Japan with a residence status, so short-term tourists are not part of it. Mid- to long-term residents are people holding a residence card, and special permanent residents form a separate category, as the agency's two subtotals show.

Year-end numbers measure a single date, and the agency may revise or add detail later. The census counts everyone living in Japan on its reference date, and the 2025 preliminary total of about 123.05 million includes foreign residents, but it is a different survey with a different method.

When comparing sources, check the date and the definition. A figure for the end of 2025 will differ from a mid-year count, and a news summary may round numbers. Quoting the agency's own release and its date avoids confusion.

A longer view of the numbers

Looking back puts the 2025 record in context. A reference table lists about 1.08 million foreign residents in 1990, about 1.69 million in 2000, about 2.13 million in 2010 and about 2.89 million in 2020, before the jump to 4.13 million in 2025.

The same reference notes that a 1990 law gave people of Japanese ancestry from South America preferential work visas, which is one reason Brazil still ranks seventh today. Trainee programs expanded after 2015, and immigration rose in 2022 and 2023 after policy changes responding to labor shortages.

Each wave of arrivals has a different story, which helps explain why the nationality mix looks so different from one region to another.

What the growth means

The rise in foreign residents is closely tied to Japan's labor needs and educational links. The status figures show that work categories, skilled worker programs and study together account for a large part of the increase, alongside long-term permanent residents.

For anyone considering a move, the numbers signal a larger network of fellow newcomers than in the past.

The agency publishes new counts periodically, so readers can check its press releases for fresh numbers.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Teaching English in Japan is available on Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many foreigners live in Japan?

At the end of 2025, Japan had 4,125,395 foreign residents, according to the Immigration Services Agency. That is a record, up 9.5 percent from the end of 2024 and about 3.35 percent of the population. The agency publishes new counts regularly, so figures will change.

Which nationalities are the largest in Japan?

China is the largest group with 930,428 people, followed by Vietnam, South Korea, the Philippines and Nepal. Indonesia, Brazil, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Taiwan complete the top ten. Nepal, Indonesia and Myanmar saw some of the biggest increases in 2025.

Which part of Japan has the most foreign residents?

Tokyo has the most, with 801,438 people or about 19.4 percent of the national total at the end of 2025. Osaka, Aichi, Kanagawa and Saitama follow. Numbers depend on the date of the count, so check the latest release for updates.

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More guides from Tokyo Paul: Studying in Japan: Trends for International Students, Opening a Bank Account in Japan as a Foreign Resident and PTA in Japan: What Foreign Parents Should Expect.