Japan's Foreign Resident Population Reaches Record 4.28 Million as Visa Rules Tighten

Resident numbers rise while some entry routes slow

Japan had a record 4,281,026 foreign residents at the end of June 2026, an increase of 155,631 in six months, according to the Immigration Services Agency. Foreign nationals accounted for 3.48% of the population, or about one person in every 29.

Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita announced the figures at a press conference on Friday, October 16. The resident population grew 3.8% from the end of 2025, even as Japan tightened some immigration requirements and the number of people entering under the business manager status fell sharply.

The figures describe several different developments. More foreign nationals were living in Japan, fewer people were recorded as overstaying their permission to remain, and new entries from abroad edged down. Business manager entries fell 80.9% to 635 during the first half of 2026 after the minimum capital requirement increased sixfold.

China remained the largest country of origin, with 941,031 residents. Permanent residents were the largest group by residence status, while the category covering engineers, specialists in humanities and international services grew faster than the foreign resident population as a whole.

Yamashita, the justice minister responsible for immigration administration, set out the government's approach:

We will continue to implement strict yet smooth immigration management so that both Japanese citizens and foreign residents can live safely and securely,

The resident count excludes temporary visitors staying for less than three months. It therefore measures a different population from the millions of tourists and other visitors who cross Japan's borders. Understanding that difference helps explain how resident numbers could reach a record while new arrivals slipped.

Growth continues, but at a slower pace

The increase of 155,631 brought Japan's foreign resident population up from 4,125,395 at the end of 2025. The pace was slower than the 5.0% increase recorded during the first half of 2025: growth eased by 1.2 percentage points to 3.8%.

A resident total is a snapshot of how many people are living in the country on a particular date. Entry figures count movements across the border during a period. Someone already living in Japan can leave temporarily and return, while a visitor may enter and depart without becoming part of the resident population.

The latest figures also cover different dates. The resident population was measured at the end of June, while the count of people overstaying their permission to remain was measured on July 1. Both were disclosed in October.

• October 2025: Japan raised the minimum capital requirement for business manager status from 5 million yen to 30 million yen.
• End of December 2025: The foreign resident population stood at 4,125,395.
• January to June 2026: New foreign entries totaled 19,706,953, down 0.1% from the same period in 2025.
• End of June 2026: The foreign resident population reached 4,281,026.
• July 1, 2026: The number of people recorded as overstaying stood at 65,229.
• October 16, 2026: Yamashita announced the resident figures at a press conference.

China leads, while Myanmar and Indonesia grow faster

Chinese nationals accounted for approximately 22% of foreign residents, based on the total of 941,031. Vietnam was the second largest country of origin and South Korea the third. Together, those three groups accounted for about half of Japan's foreign resident population.

Filipino, Nepalese, Indonesian and Myanmar nationals followed in that order. The ranking shows the size of established communities, while changes over six months show where growth was particularly rapid.

The number of residents from Myanmar rose 15.9% from the end of 2025, and the number from Indonesia increased 15.6%. Both rates were more than four times the 3.8% increase across the foreign resident population. China remained the largest community despite slower short visits from that country.

Work and study shape the resident population

Permanent residents numbered 961,342, an increase of 1.5% from the end of 2025. They represented about 22.5% of all foreign residents. Permanent residence allows a person to live in Japan without the repeated extensions required under many other residence categories.

The engineer, specialist in humanities and international services category rose 8.5% to 516,184. This category includes occupations such as engineering and interpreting. Its growth was more than twice the 3.8% rate for the foreign resident population as a whole.

Students numbered 479,626, up 3.2%. Their increase was slightly below the total resident growth rate. Together, permanent residents, people in the engineering and humanities category, and students accounted for 1,957,152 people, or about 45.7% of foreign residents.

Technical interns were also among the largest residence categories identified in the announcement, although no total for that group was given. Japan's residence categories matter because they determine the activities people are permitted to undertake, including studying, working in particular occupations or remaining as permanent residents.

Experienced skilled workers more than double

Specified skilled workers numbered 444,256 at the end of June. This status covers people with skills and knowledge that allow them to begin the relevant work without first undergoing training in Japan.

The more experienced Type 2 group reached 18,295, more than double its size at the end of 2025. Type 2 workers still accounted for only about 4.1% of all specified skilled workers, calculated from the two published totals.

The figures show growth at different levels of the workforce. The broader specified skilled worker category was already substantial, while its more experienced segment was expanding quickly from a smaller base. For employers using this route, the distinction concerns the level of skill workers have demonstrated, rather than simply how many people have entered Japan.

Business manager entries fall after capital rule changes

Only 635 foreign nationals newly entered Japan under business manager status in the first half of 2026, down 80.9% from a year earlier. Put simply, entries fell to roughly one fifth of their previous level.

Japan raised the minimum capital requirement for this status in October 2025 from 5 million yen to 30 million yen. The increase was 25 million yen, bringing the requirement to six times its former level. For someone seeking to establish a business through this route, the amount of capital required became much larger.

The decline in entries is believed to reflect measures including that change. The business manager route concerns people seeking to run or manage businesses, making it a different channel from employment categories such as engineering or specified skilled work, which continued to account for large resident populations.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government has also increased residence status application fees and tightened requirements for permanent residency. The October figures place the steep fall in business manager entries alongside continued growth in several other categories.

Why total entries rose while new entries fell

Japan recorded 19,706,953 new foreign entries during the first half of 2026, a decline of 0.1% from a year earlier. The Immigration Services Agency attributed part of the decrease to a 57.3% fall in short visits from China following a Chinese government advisory urging people to refrain from travel.

Total foreign entries, including travelers and people returning to Japan, nevertheless exceeded 21.4 million. That broader total was about 71,000 higher than in the first half of 2025.

The two measures count different movements. New entries are one part of total entries; the broader figure also includes reentries by people who already have permission to live in Japan. A decrease in the first measure can therefore occur alongside an increase in the second.

Chinese nationals also illustrate the difference between travel and residence. Short visits from China fell sharply, yet Chinese residents remained Japan's largest foreign community. The 941,031 resident total concerns people living in Japan, while the 57.3% decline concerns short visits during the six month period.

Overstaying declines as the resident total grows

The number of people recorded as remaining beyond their permitted stay fell 4.8% to 65,229 as of July 1. Thai nationals were the largest group at 10,260, followed by Vietnamese and South Korean nationals.

Thai nationals accounted for about 15.7% of the overstay total. This ranking differed from the ranking of foreign residents, which was led by China, Vietnam and South Korea. The figures concern different groups: one counts residents by nationality, while the other tracks people whose permission to stay has expired.

The reduction in overstaying occurred during the same six months that the foreign resident population increased by 155,631. Japan was therefore recording both a larger resident community and fewer people remaining beyond their authorized stay.

For foreign residents, the most immediate policy changes concern the conditions and costs attached to particular residence routes. Business applicants face a much higher capital requirement, while people applying for residence procedures face higher fees and those seeking permanent residency face stricter requirements. At the same time, the growing numbers of students, professionals and skilled workers show that several routes continued to support a larger foreign population.

Key Points

• Japan had a record 4,281,026 foreign residents at the end of June 2026, up 155,631 from the end of 2025.
• Foreign residents accounted for 3.48% of the population. Their numbers grew 3.8%, slower than the 5.0% increase in the first half of 2025.
• Chinese nationals were the largest group at 941,031. Residents from Myanmar and Indonesia increased by more than 15% each.
• Permanent residents numbered 961,342, while the engineering, humanities and international services category grew 8.5% to 516,184.
• Business manager entries fell 80.9% to 635 after the minimum capital requirement rose from 5 million yen to 30 million yen.
• New foreign entries slipped 0.1%, while total entries, including reentries, exceeded 21.4 million and increased from a year earlier.
• The number of people overstaying their permission to remain fell 4.8% to 65,229 as of July 1.