Japanese Municipalities with over 5 Pct Foreigners Up 2.5-Fold

Tokyo, Oct. 13 (Jiji Press)--The number of Japanese municipalities whose foreign residents account for over 5 pct of the population climbed 2.5-fold from 53 in 2020 to 132, according to 2025 census data released by the internal affairs ministry.

The data show increases in foreign populations not only in major cities and industrial districts but also in rural areas where the tourism and agricultural sectors thrive.

The number of foreign residents in Japan hit a record high of 3.84 million, or 3.1 pct of the country's total population. The total rose roughly 40 pct from 2.74 million in the previous census in 2020.

The number of prefectures with municipalities where foreign nationals account for over 5 pct of the population increased from 17 to 27, with Miyagi and Hyogo among those that newly joined the list.

In the previous survey, such municipalities were mainly seen in large cities and areas with strong manufacturers, while in the latest survey, resort areas and regions where agriculture, forestry, and fisheries are the main industries were in the over 5 pct club.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]