Japan had 4,281,026 foreign residents at the end of June 2026, a record high, according to figures released on 16 October by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA). That is 155,631 more than at the end of 2025, a rise of 3.8% in six months. The total covers 4,017,321 mid- to long-term residents and 263,705 special permanent residents; short-term visitors such as tourists are not counted.
The breakdown shows where the growth is coming from. Permanent residents remain the largest group at 961,342 (up 1.5%), followed by the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services work status at 516,184 (up 8.5%) and students at 479,626 (up 3.2%). The Specified Skilled Worker programme grew fastest among the large categories, up 13.8% to 444,256; within it, the higher-tier Specified Skilled Worker (ii) status more than doubled to 18,295. The Business Manager status — the status for foreigners who run or manage a business in Japan — moved the other way, falling 8.6% to 42,747.
By nationality, China leads with 941,031 residents (up 1.1%), followed by Vietnam (693,750), South Korea (408,682), the Philippines (362,761) and Nepal (334,850). The fastest growth among the top ten came from Myanmar (up 15.9%) and Indonesia (up 15.6%). Taiwan ranks tenth with 73,628 residents (up 0.5%), of whom 26,762 hold permanent residence and 17,503 hold the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services status. Hong Kong is not listed separately in the release. Tokyo is home to 824,486 foreign residents, or 19.3% of the national total.
The fall in Business Manager holders follows the ISA’s tightening of the status from 16 October 2025: applicants now need at least ¥30 million in capital or business investment, at least one full-time employee, and Japanese at around CEFR B2 level held by either the applicant or that employee. Kyodo News reported that only 635 people entered Japan on the Business Manager status in the first half of 2026, down 80.9% from a year earlier, and said the stricter requirements appeared to be the cause. Existing holders who renew before 16 October 2028 are assessed case by case even if they do not yet meet the new standards, according to the ISA.
Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita said at a press conference that the government will pursue “strict yet smooth immigration management” so that Japanese citizens and foreign residents can both live safely, Jiji Press reported. The figures arrive as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government works towards finalising its basic policy on accepting foreign residents by the end of March 2027, as Zagdim reported on 14 October.
References
Immigration Services Agency of Japan – Number of foreign residents as of end of June 2026 / Immigration Services Agency of Japan – Amendments to the landing permission criteria for the Business Manager status / Jiji Press via Nippon.com – Foreign Residents in Japan Hit Record 4.28 M. / Kyodo News via Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun – Foreign residents reach record 4.28 million at end of June; Business Manager entries plunge after tightening (Japanese)
