Japan’s Foreign Population Hits Record 4.28 Million

Japan has registered a record of 4.28 million foreign residents, despite growing anti-immigration sentiment and calls for stricter rules.

The Immigration Services Agency said on Friday that the figure was recorded at the end of June. It excludes short-term visitors and marks an increase of 156,000 people from the end of 2025. Foreign residents now account for about 3.5 per cent of Japan’s total population, based on government estimates.

The rise comes as Japan faces a shrinking and ageing population, which has worsened labour shortages across several industries. Immigration expert Toshihiro Menju told AFP that the country needs foreign workers at all levels, from highly skilled professionals to service workers.

“With Japan’s population shrinking by more than 900,000 a year… we have no choice but to rely on foreign workers,” said Menju, a visiting professor at the Kansai University of International Studies.

He added that measures such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and greater participation by women and older people would not fully address the labour shortage. Japanese businesses have also urged the government to develop a comprehensive policy to support foreign residents.

However, growing opposition to immigration has pushed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to seek tighter regulations. Japan strengthened its permanent residency rules this month, requiring foreign applicants to earn higher incomes and show greater fluency in Japanese.

The changes come following growing support for the Sanseito party, which describes its position as “Japanese-first” and calls immigration a “silent invasion”. The party made major gains in last year’s upper house election.

Meanwhile, false social media posts have claimed that foreigners receive a large share of welfare payments and make Japanese streets less safe. Menju said the stricter rules may already be affecting the growth of Japan’s foreign population. The number of foreign residents increased by about 300,000 over the past year, compared with a rise of 360,000 in the previous year.

“If obtaining permanent residency becomes difficult, people will see less benefit in staying in Japan for the long term,” he said.

He also pointed to the weak yen and low wages as factors that could discourage foreigners from staying in the country. Despite these concerns, Menju expects Japan’s foreign population to reach 10 million in the 2040s as labour shortages continue.

In a separate announcement on Friday, Japan’s Justice Ministry said the number of foreign nationals who had overstayed their visas fell to about 65,000 as of July 1. That represents a 4.8 per cent drop from the start of the year.