Number of Foreign Residents in Japan Tops 4 Million for First Time, Immigration Agency Announces
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The Immigration Services Agency announced on March 27, 2026, that the number of foreign residents in Japan stood at 4,125,395 as of the end of 2025 (the end of Reiwa 7), surpassing 4 million for the first time since statistics began. This represents an increase of 356,418 people, or 9.5%, from the end of the previous year.
The main factor behind the increase is believed to be the expanded acceptance of workers under various programs, including Specified Skilled Worker and Technical Intern Training. By field, there are also indications that the number of workers accepted in the Specified Skilled Worker "food service" field is expected to exceed its cap of 50,000, suggesting that grasping the actual state of the program's operation will be a challenge going forward.
This statistic is a highly reliable primary source and serves as basic data that can be cited as background for this site's other articles related to immigration and coexistence.
The pace of increase in the foreign resident population has accelerated in recent years, and this year's 9.5% growth rate is high even by historical standards. The fact that the acceptance cap may be exceeded in the Specified Skilled Worker "food service" field suggests that actual conditions are beginning to outpace what was assumed when the program was designed.
This statistic also serves as important basic data for verifying the pace at which the government's acceptance target for March 2029 (related coverage) is being achieved.