As of October 2024, the United States had nearly 413,400 Japanese citizens, making it the country with the highest number of Japanese residents outside of Japan itself. The United States counted around four times as many Japanese citizens as second-placed Australia.  Japanese immigrants in the United States Lately, there has been an increase in the migration of Japanese individuals, especially to the United States, which has the largest immigrant population worldwide. This surge in Japanese migration to the United States can largely be attributed to the substantial presence of Japanese companies with offices in the country, which ranks among the highest globally. Consequently, many Japanese nationals choose to relocate to the United States in pursuit of employment opportunities offered by these companies.  Status of immigrants in Japan The total number of foreign residents in Japan has been rising lately, with Tokyo having the highest number of foreign nationals registered among 47 prefectures. The main nationality of foreign residents living in Japan are people from the Asia region: China, Vietnam, and South Korea. The increasing number of foreign nationals working in Japan is indicative of the growing interest in job opportunities within the country.

As of October 2023, Los Angeles was host to the highest number of Japanese residents among cities outside of Japan with about 64.46 thousand Japanese residents. In the same year, the United States was the country with by far the highest number of Japanese residents outside of Japan.The statistic, which is based on the information gathered by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, does not include descendants of Japanese emigrants (nikkeijin) who do not hold Japanese citizenship. People with multiple citizenship are counted.

As of October 2023, about 64.46 thousand Japanese residents lived in Los Angeles. Los Angeles, therefore, had the highest number of Japanese residents among any city outside of Japan. In the same year, the United States was by far the country with the highest number of Japanese residents. In the observed time frame, the Japanese population size in Los Angeles has been shrinking gradually each year, starting at about 69.29 thousand expats ten years ago.The statistic, which is based on the information gathered by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, does not include descendants of Japanese emigrants (nikkeijin) who do not hold Japanese citizenship, but people with multiple citizenship are counted.

As of October 2023, approximately 414.62 thousand residents from Japan were living in the United States, the lowest number in five years. At close to 447 thousand expats, 2018 was the year with the highest number of Japanese citizens living in America within the past decade.The statistic, which is based on the information gathered by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, does not include descendants of Japanese emigrants (nikkeijin) who do not hold Japanese citizenship. People with multiple citizenship are counted.

This statistic shows the number of people from Japan living abroad in 2017, by country of destination. That year, the largest number of Japanese immigrants lived in the United States, totaling around 370 thousand, followed by 60 thousand Japanese living in Brazil.

In 2023, approximately 3.4 million residents of foreign nationality were registered in Japan, making up below three percent of the population. The total number of foreign residents increased by almost 1.3 million in the last decade. Development of immigration to JapanExcept for a large minority of people of Korean descent who have lived in Japan since the first half of the twentieth century, immigration of people from other countries did not become an issue in Japan until the 1980s when the economy required more labor. A revision of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act in 1990 allowed people of Japanese descent, so-called nikkeijin, to enter the country and work without restrictions. The nikkeijin who entered Japan in the years that followed mainly came from Brazil and other South American countries. Chinese immigration increased as well throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. A breakdown of foreign residents by major nationalities shows that Chinese immigrants overtook Koreans as the largest minority group in 2007. People from Vietnam were the strongest growing minority in the 2010s. Recent immigration reformDue to its demographic changes, Japan has a relatively low unemployment rate. As a consequence, a large share of companies reports labor shortages. The temporary immigration of foreign workers is considered one of the possible solutions to this problem, next to the increasing labor market participation of women and the elderly. In December 2018, the Japanese parliament passed a major immigration reform that became enacted in April 2019. The reform allowed lower- and semi-skilled workers to enter the country and work in one of 14 different industries suffering from a lack of labor. The vast majority of participants are not allowed to bring their family members and are expected to return to their respective countries after their terms in Japan end.

As of October 2023, approximately 99.83 thousand Japanese residents lived in Australia. In the observed time frame, numbers have steadily increased until they peaked in 2019 at more than 103.6 thousand Japanese residents, but then decreased significantly in the following two years.The statistic, which is based on the information gathered by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, does not include descendants of Japanese emigrants (nikkeijin) who do not hold Japanese citizenship. People with multiple citizenship are counted.

In 2023, the United Kingdom had the highest number of European residents living in Japan, with approximately 19.9 thousand registered residents. France ranked second with around 15.15 thousand registered residents.

As of October 2023, around 30.32 thousand Japanese residents lived in Sydney. Sydney was therefore one of the cities with the highest number of Japanese residents outside of Japan. Similarly, Australia was one of the countries with the highest number of Japanese residents. In the observed time frame, the size of the Japanese population in the city has been growing gradually until it peaked in 2019 at close to 34.7 thousand individuals, but has been decreasing significantly ever since.The statistic, which is based on the information gathered by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, does not include descendants of Japanese emigrants (nikkeijin) who do not hold Japanese citizenship. People with multiple citizenship are counted.

As of October 2023, approximately 42.55 thousand Japanese residents lived in South Korea, the second highest number within the past decade. Within the observed time frame, numbers have increased steadily until they peaked in 2019 with more than 45.6 thousand Japanese residents.The statistic, which is based on the information gathered by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, does not include descendants of Japanese emigrants (nikkeijin) who do not hold Japanese citizenship. People with multiple citizenship are counted.

According to an estimate, there were almost 785 thousand immigrants from China living in Japan in 2019. Chinese were followed by South Koreans with an immigrant stock of more than 475 thousand people.

As of October 2023, the number of Japanese residents in Berlin amounted to approximately 4.07 thousand individuals, the highest number of the past decade. The German capital was home to the third largest Japanese community within Germany after Düsseldorf and Munich. The Japanese population in the city has been growing steadily each year, starting at less than three thousand expats only ten years ago.The statistic, which is based on the information gathered by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, does not include descendants of Japanese emigrants (nikkeijin) who do not hold Japanese citizenship. People with multiple citizenship are counted.

As of October 2023, approximately 101.8 thousand Japanese residents lived in China, the lowest number of the past decade. In the observed time frame, the number of Japanese residents in China decreased steadily each year, starting at around 133.9 thousand Japanese nationals in 2014. The statistic, which is based on the information gathered by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, does not include descendants of Japanese emigrants (nikkeijin) who do not hold Japanese citizenship. People with multiple citizenship are counted.

Tokyo Prefecture continued to be a magnet for domestic migration in Japan, attracting nearly 58,500 new residents from other prefectures in 2023. By contrast, Hiroshima Prefecture showed the highest population loss due to outbound migration within the country, with a net loss of approximately 7,400 migrants. Attractiveness of Tokyo The population density in the prefecture has grown over the past two decades, surpassing 6,400 inhabitants per square kilometer in 2020. The appealing nature of Tokyo is also reflected in the age demographics of the metropolis, with most residents falling within the working-age group of 15 to 64 years. Numerous prestigious universities and large corporations make the area a popular destination for young people with aspirations. Depopulation of rural areas The migration patterns across Japan's prefectures indicate significant regional disparities. While Tokyo leads in population size with 14 million inhabitants in 2023, prefectures like Tottori struggle to retain residents, counting only about 540,000 people. This imbalance has prompted concerns about the sustainability of rural communities and has led to various initiatives aimed at revitalizing less populous areas. The Japanese government faces the complex task of addressing these demographic shifts while also navigating challenges resulting from a nationwide aging population due to prolonged life expectancy and fertility decline.

As of October 2023, approximately 72.31 thousand Japanese residents lived in Thailand. Numbers have decreased compared to about 78.43 thousand residents in the previous year.The statistic, which is based on the information gathered by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, does not include descendants of Japanese emigrants (nikkeijin) who do not hold Japanese citizenship. People with multiple citizenship are counted.

This statistic shows the change in the United States' Japanese population from 1980 to 2010. In 1980, there were 720,000 Japanese-Americans (Japanese immigrants and people with Japanese heritage) living in the United States.

In 1800, the population of Japan was just over 30 million, a figure which would grow by just two million in the first half of the 19th century. However, with the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and the restoration of the emperor in the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Japan would begin transforming from an isolated feudal island, to a modernized empire built on Western models. The Meiji period would see a rapid rise in the population of Japan, as industrialization and advancements in healthcare lead to a significant reduction in child mortality rates, while the creation overseas colonies would lead to a strong economic boom. However, this growth would slow beginning in 1937, as Japan entered a prolonged war with the Republic of China, which later grew into a major theater of the Second World War. The war was eventually brought to Japan's home front, with the escalation of Allied air raids on Japanese urban centers from 1944 onwards (Tokyo was the most-bombed city of the Second World War). By the war's end in 1945 and the subsequent occupation of the island by the Allied military, Japan had suffered over two and a half million military fatalities, and over one million civilian deaths.

The population figures of Japan were quick to recover, as the post-war “economic miracle” would see an unprecedented expansion of the Japanese economy, and would lead to the country becoming one of the first fully industrialized nations in East Asia. As living standards rose, the population of Japan would increase from 77 million in 1945, to over 127 million by the end of the century. However, growth would begin to slow in the late 1980s, as birth rates and migration rates fell, and Japan eventually grew to have one of the oldest populations in the world. The population would peak in 2008 at just over 128 million, but has consistently fallen each year since then, as the fertility rate of the country remains below replacement level (despite government initiatives to counter this) and the country's immigrant population remains relatively stable. The population of Japan is expected to continue its decline in the coming years, and in 2020, it is estimated that approximately 126 million people inhabit the island country.

As of October 2023, approximately 7.75 thousand Japanese residents were registered in Perth. In the same year, Australia was one of the countries with the highest number of Japanese residents worldwide.The statistic, which is based on the information gathered by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, does not include descendants of Japanese emigrants (nikkeijin) who do not hold Japanese citizenship. People with multiple citizenship are counted.

The total number of Japanese residents living in Norway as of October 2018 amounted to approximately 1.17 thousand people. The population increased by more than 200 people since 2013. The statistic, which is based on the information gathered by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, does not include descendants of Japanese emigrants (nikkeijin) who do not hold Japanese citizenship. People with multiple citizenship are counted.

As of October 2023, around 15.51 thousand Japanese residents lived in Indonesia, the lowest amount of the past decade. Within the observed period, the Japanese population grew steadily until it peaked in 2017 at 19.7 thousand residents, after which it slowly receded again with the most dramatic drops occurring in the last two years.The statistic, which is based on the information gathered by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, does not include descendants of Japanese emigrants (nikkeijin) who do not hold Japanese citizenship. People with multiple citizenship are counted.