Immigration Japan’s foreign resident population reaches record 4.12 million

Japan's foreign resident population reached a record 4.12 million at the end of 2025, according to the Immigration Services Agency. That is an increase of 9.5% from a year earlier. It is the first time the total has gone over 4 million.

At the same time, the number of foreign nationals overstaying their visas fell. As of 1 January this year, there were 68,488 overstayers, down 8.5% from the previous year. It was the second year in a row that the figure declined. The agency also said arrivals rose sharply. The number of foreign nationals entering Japan last year reached 42 million, up 15.4% from the previous year and surpassing the 40 million mark for the first time.

[...] the total number of foreign residents included 930,428 people from China, the largest group by nationality, followed by 681,100 from Vietnam and 407,341 from South Korea. By status of residence, permanent residents made up the largest group, at 947,125, followed by specialists in engineering, humanities and international services, at 475,790, and foreign students, at 464,784. In the list of overstayers, Vietnamese accounted for 11,601, followed by Thais, at 10,907, and South Koreans, at 10,020.

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Among those deported under written deportation orders, 318 were returned at Japan's expense, escorted by officers. That was up 27.7% from a year earlier and the highest figure on record. The government has been trying to reduce the number of overstayers through a programme launched in May last year. The agency says the recent decline in overstayers is likely linked to those efforts, though the exact impact is unclear.

Applications for refugee status in 2025 totalled 11,298, down by 1,075 from the previous year. Of those, 187 people were recognised as refugees, a slight drop of three. Applicants from Afghanistan made up the largest group, at 123. Separately, 474 people were granted quasi-refugee status. This category applies to those fleeing conflict but who are not recognised under the U.N. Refugee Convention. Ukrainians accounted for 386 of the total.