Japan foreign resident population reaches record 4.28 million

The number of foreign residents in Japan reached a record 4,281,026 as of the end of June 2026, representing approximately 3.5% of the total population. This marks a 3.8% increase from the end of 2025. Chinese nationals remain the largest foreign community with over 941,000 residents, followed by Vietnamese and South Korean nationals.

Despite the overall increase in residents, the number of new entrants saw a slight decline. This was partly attributed to a significant drop in short-term visitors from China following travel advisories. Additionally, the number of individuals granted business manager status plummeted by over 80% following a policy change that raised the minimum capital requirement from 5 million yen to 30 million yen.

Japan is currently pursuing a dual-track immigration strategy: expanding the influx of necessary labor to address demographic challenges and labor shortages, while simultaneously tightening management of long-term and permanent residency. This includes stricter requirements for permanent residency and the ability to revoke status for tax or social insurance non-compliance. Meanwhile, the number of overstayers decreased by 4.8% due to intensified enforcement under the Zero Illegal Foreign Residents Plan.