Designated Activities
Status of residence · Japan
- Residents, December 2025
- 125,286
- Share of all foreign residents
- 3.0%
- Change on a year earlier
- +31.2%
- Nationalities
- 161
Residents125,286Dec 2025
Year by year
Data as at Dec 2025
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Residents by year
Foreign residents holding the Designated Activities status of residence at the end of each December. Activities designated individually by the Minister of Justice, such as working holidays, internships and EPA nurse and care worker candidates.
Foreign residents
Data table
| 2012 | 20,159 |
| 2013 | 22,673 |
| 2014 | 28,001 |
| 2015 | 37,175 |
| 2016 | 47,039 |
| 2017 | 64,776 |
| 2018 | 62,956 |
| 2019 | 65,187 |
| 2022 | 83,380 |
| 2023 | 73,774 |
| 2024 | 95,508 |
| 2025 | 125,286 |
- December 2025
- 125,286
- December 2012
- 20,159
- Work-related status
- No
By nationality
Top 20 nationalities, end of December 2025. Hong Kong is shown separately but, as in the source table, is also counted within China.
- Myanmar36,113
- Vietnam16,530
- China12,944
- Indonesia9,302
- South Korea6,231
- Philippines5,449
- Taiwan4,465
- Sri Lanka3,830
- Australia3,075
- United Kingdom2,495
- India1,874
- Nepal1,835
- France1,466
- Thailand1,461
- Cambodia1,288
- Türkiye1,203
- Germany1,172
- Pakistan978
- Canada950
- Bangladesh821
| Nationality | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myanmar | 10,707 | 15,983 | 22,720 | 36,113 |
| Vietnam | 26,147 | 11,918 | 12,038 | 16,530 |
| China | 11,193 | 9,942 | 11,222 | 12,944 |
| Indonesia | 4,849 | 4,467 | 5,933 | 9,302 |
| South Korea | 648 | 3,520 | 5,759 | 6,231 |
| Philippines | 5,797 | 4,611 | 4,979 | 5,449 |
| Taiwan | 923 | 3,017 | 4,701 | 4,465 |
| Sri Lanka | 2,365 | 635 | 3,194 | 3,830 |
| Australia | 1,055 | 2,085 | 2,762 | 3,075 |
| United Kingdom | 737 | 1,164 | 1,797 | 2,495 |
| India | 1,398 | 850 | 1,491 | 1,874 |
| Nepal | 2,190 | 713 | 1,317 | 1,835 |
| France | 707 | 1,220 | 1,511 | 1,466 |
| Thailand | 846 | 606 | 775 | 1,461 |
| Cambodia | 1,554 | 597 | 668 | 1,288 |
| Türkiye | 1,457 | 1,170 | 1,703 | 1,203 |
| Germany | 614 | 789 | 974 | 1,172 |
| Pakistan | 1,022 | 681 | 1,135 | 978 |
| Canada | 239 | 511 | 644 | 950 |
| Bangladesh | 1,185 | 546 | 682 | 821 |
Official data, not advice. Visa Atlas publishes figures from government registers and statistics. It does not assess eligibility or give immigration advice; for advice, consult a regulated adviser. Read more