No. of foreign residents in Japan rises to record 3.2 million

The number of foreign nationals residing in Japan hit a record high of over 3.2 million in 2023, government data showed Friday, as more workers entered to meet demand created by the country’s labor shortage.

As of the end of June, 3,223,858 foreigners resided in Japan, up 148,645 from the end of December 2022, according to the Immigration Services Agency.

Significant increases were seen in the number of specified skilled workers, who are immediately able to take on jobs in designated industries without the need for training, as well as trainees taking part in the country’s technical internship...