Japan to Add 200 Immigration Services Agency Employees

Tokyo, July 22 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government is planning to increase the number of employees at the Immigration Services Agency by about 200 starting next fiscal year, informed sources said Wednesday.

The personnel increase is aimed at strengthening enforcement against illegal residents and speeding up residency status screenings amid the growing number of foreign residents in Japan

An ordinance revision to implement the increase is expected to be approved at a cabinet meeting as early as this month, the sources said.

In fiscal 2025, the agency had 6,499 employees, including 1,687 immigration control officers and 3,988 immigration inspectors. The total number was up 633 from fiscal 2020, but the agency needed more staff to manage its heavy workload.

Meanwhile, the number of foreign nationals staying in Japan illegally stood at 68,488 as of January, even after two straight years of decrease, according to the Immigration Services Agency.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]