[With Explanatory Video] Finally Surpassed 4 Million! The Reality of "Foreigners in Japan" Deciphered Through the Latest Data

Hello everyone. In your daily life, have you ever felt that "there are more foreign shop staff lately" or "I've started hearing languages from various countries on the street"?

Actually, that feeling is clearly backed up by data.

According to the latest data from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Regarding the Number of Foreign Residents as of the End of 2025," the number of foreign residents in Japan has reached a record high, breaking the "4 million" barrier for the first time in Japanese history.

In this article, we will unravel this latest official data and explain in an easy-to-understand way what is happening in Japan right now, including the realistic situation of "where they come from, what status they hold, and where they live."

Please watch the video while you read!

1. A Historical Turning Point: Japan Finally Exceeds "4 Million"

As of the end of 2025, the number of foreign residents was 4,125,395.

This is a massive increase of 356,418 (9.5%) from the 3,768,977 at the end of the previous year, setting a new record. Looking at the breakdown, there are 3,858,499 mid-to-long-term residents and 266,896 special permanent residents. By gender, men are slightly more numerous at 2,110,599 (51.2%).

While Japan's total population continues to decline, the fact that about 350,000 foreigners are increasing in a single year strongly tells us that Japan's social infrastructure and labor market have already entered a phase where they cannot function without the presence of foreign nationals.

2. The Rapidly Changing Ranking of Countries of Origin: The Surge of Southeast and South Asian Nations

So, which countries are they coming from? Currently, people from 196 countries and regions, excluding the stateless, have gathered in Japan.

The top 4 overall are as follows, featuring familiar countries.

• 1st Place: China 930,428 (+57,142 from the previous year, 22.6% share)

• 2nd Place: Vietnam 681,100 (+46,739 from the previous year, 16.5% share)

• 3rd Place: South Korea 407,341 (-1,897 from the previous year, 9.9% share)

• 4th Place: Philippines 356,579 (+15,061 from the previous year, 8.6% share)

However, what we should pay the most attention to this time is the rise of "countries with staggering growth rates".

• 5th Place: Nepal 300,992 (+29.2% from the previous year, +67,949)

• 6th Place: Indonesia 266,069 (+33.2% from the previous year, +66,245)

• 8th Place: Myanmar 182,567 (+35.7% from the previous year, +47,993)

In fact, the three countries of Nepal, Indonesia, and Myanmar have shown an explosive increase of about 30% to 35% in just one year. Furthermore, Sri Lanka, which was 12th the previous year, also saw a significant rise to 9th place with a 24.7% increase (79,128 people). From these countries, there is a rapid increase in young people coming to Japan as international students or under the "Specified Skilled Worker" status, which will be discussed later.

On the other hand, South Korea (-0.5%) and Brazil (-0.9%, 210,014 people), which have long supported Japanese society, have seen slight decreases, and it can be said that the "multinationalization and diversification" of foreigners living in Japan has entered a completely new phase.

3. A Paradigm Shift in Working Styles: The Stagnation of "Technical Intern Training" and the Explosive Growth of "Specified Skilled Worker"

There is also a historic tectonic shift occurring in the purposes for which they stay in Japan (residence status). While the largest total number is "Permanent Residents" who have established their lives in Japan at 947,125 (23.0% of the total), what should be noted is the dramatic change in "residence status for working".

For a long time, it was the "Technical Intern Training" system that supported manual labor in Japan. However, this data reveals a surprising result.

• Technical Intern Training: 456,618 people (only +23 people compared to the previous year)

Surprisingly, the number of technical interns has only increased by "23" in one year, and the growth rate is 0.0%, showing complete stagnation.

Instead, what is showing explosive growth is the "Specified Skilled Worker" status, which is expected to be immediately effective in the workplace.

• Specified Skilled Worker: 390,296 people (+105,830 people compared to the previous year, growth rate 37.2%)

It has seen a net increase of over 100,000 in one year, closing in on the number of technical interns. Digging deeper, the "Specified Skilled Worker (ii)", which has more advanced skills and opens the path to bringing family members and de facto permanent residency, has surged by a staggering 856.1%, from 832 people the previous year to 7,955.

What does this mean? It is a clear paradigm shift where Japanese companies are beginning to hire foreigners in earnest, not as "temporary interns," but as "indispensable labor and professional talent that will support the workplace in the medium to long term".

In addition, "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services" (so-called white-collar work visas) also grew steadily to 475,790 (+13.6%), and the influx of talent with advanced specialized knowledge continues.

As for international students, the number is 464,784, a 15.6% increase from the previous year, showing a complete recovery from the decline during the COVID-19 pandemic and putting them on a further growth trajectory.

4. Where do they live?: Concentration in urban areas and spread to regional areas

Where in Japan do all these foreigners live?

The overwhelming number one is Tokyo, where 801,438 people (+8.5% from the previous year), accounting for 19.4% of the total, are concentrated. This is followed by Osaka Prefecture (375,319 people, +12.5%), Aichi Prefecture (357,800 people, +7.9%), Kanagawa Prefecture (317,353 people, +8.5%), and Saitama Prefecture (290,937 people, +10.9%). As expected, concentration in large metropolitan areas and industrial zones is observed.

However, regional areas are not unrelated. Looking at the growth rate by prefecture (compared to the end of the previous year), it can be seen that rapid internationalization is progressing even in regional cities.

• Hokkaido: +14.7% (77,401 people)

• Okinawa Prefecture: +13.7% (33,402 people)

• Kagoshima Prefecture: +13.2% (21,480 people)

• Saga Prefecture: +13.1%(12,841 people)

The data shows that foreign residents are rapidly becoming an essential part of communities, especially in regions with thriving tourism industries or local areas that rely on primary industries and manufacturing.

Conclusion: Coexistence in the "4 Million Era" We Must Face

What did you think? The figure of "4.12 million foreign residents" is no longer a topic relevant only to a few specific companies or regions. We are in an era where approximately one in every 30 people in Japan is a foreigner.

Young people coming to Japan with aspirations from not only Vietnam and China, but also Nepal, Indonesia, and Myanmar. And from "Technical Intern Training" to "Specified Skilled Worker", a shift toward working styles that allow for longer stays and putting down roots in Japan.

Correctly understanding the "current state of Japan" as indicated by the data should be an essential first step in thinking about the future of business and what kind of "inclusive society" we should design.