Japan Sees Record 42.43 Million Foreign Entrants in 2025

Jiji Press

16:47 JST, January 31, 2026

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The number of foreigners entering Japan rose 15.4% from the previous year to 42.43 million in 2025, marking a record high for the second straight year, preliminary government data showed Friday.

The annual tally exceeded 40 million for the first time since records began in 1950. The Immigration Services Agency attributed the result to the yen’s weakening and an increase in the number of regular international passenger flights.

Meanwhile, the monthly number of Chinese entrants slumped 46.6% from a year earlier in December, after the Chinese government advised its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan in November, following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on a possible Taiwan contingency.

In 2025, a total of 9.23 million South Koreans entered Japan, up from 8.63 million the previous year, making up the largest group by country or region of origin, followed by 7.22 million entrants from mainland China, up from 5.49 million, and 6.39 million from Taiwan, up from 5.69 million.

By status of residence, 38.46 million foreign entrants, or 98.1% of the total, were for short-term stay, including tourists, up from 33.36 million, and 180,000 were for studying, up from 170,000. Both figures hit record highs.

The number of foreign entrants with “specific skills” increased to 160,000 from 150,000, and the number of those for “technical internship” increased to 80,000 from 60,000. The category of technical internship will shift to “development and employment” in 2027.

The annual number of new entrants, excluding those re-entering Japan, rose 15.2% to a record 39.18 million.

The number of Japanese nationals leaving the country climbed 13.3% to 14.73 million.