With the increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan due to inbound demand, the number of foreign workers and foreign students is also increasing year by year.
According to the most recent data, the number of foreign visitors (total of new arrivals and re-entries) in 2024 was approximately 36.78 million, an increase of 10.95 million (approx. 42.4%) from the previous year. The number of new arrivals totaled approximately 34.02 million, an increase of approximately 10.26 million (43.2%) from the previous year, both reaching record highs.
(Source: Press release issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service on January 24, 2025 )
The number of foreign residents in Tokyo was 701,955, more than twice the number in Aichi Prefecture (321,041), followed by Osaka (317,421), Kanagawa (280,020), Saitama (249,327), and Chiba (219,131), making the top four metropolitan areas stand out. The top four areas in the Tokyo metropolitan area stand out.
As of the end of June 2024, the total number of foreign residents in Japan was approximately 3,589,000, which means that these four areas account for 40.4% of the total.
(Exhibit: Statistics on Foreign Residents (formerly Statistics on Registered Foreigners) / Statistics on Foreign Residents )
Furthermore, a survey of trends by city, ward, town and village in each prefecture shows the following results for the top 10 areas with the largest number of foreign residents.
(Exhibit: Foreign Residents by Prefecture, City, Town and Village, June 2024 Survey)
In this article, we will pick up the top five most popular areas and consider the characteristics of the areas and the reasons for the large number of foreign residents.
Popular Areas by City
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, ranked No. 1, is a business-friendly area with good transportation access.
As of February 1, 2025, there were 48,075 foreign residents in Shinjuku City, Tokyo, surpassing Kawaguchi City, which ranked first last year.
(Exhibit: Shinjuku City Basic Resident Ledger’s population of foreign residents by nationality and sex )
As of February 1, 2025, 352,521 foreigners resided in Shinjuku City as a whole, accounting for 13.6% of the city’s population, more than 10% of the total, and the percentage of foreigners in the city is increasing.
Shinjuku City functions as a major transportation hub in Tokyo, and because it is an office district, many companies and restaurant-related jobs are abundant, and the tourism industry is in high demand in the area, it is considered to be in high demand for foreign workers and perceived by foreigners as a very convenient area in which to work and live. It is believed to be perceived by foreigners as a very convenient area to work and live.
Looking at the status of residence of foreign residents in Shinjuku City, 85.4% of 18-19 year olds and 61.2% of 20-29 year olds answered their purpose as “studying abroad,” overwhelmingly in the younger age brackets, while the largest percentage of respondents overall answered “to study” as their purpose for coming to Japan, at approximately 50%, Considering the large number of Japanese language schools in the Takadanobaba area, it is apparent that this is an area that easily attracts foreign students.
The Okubo area has also been home to many foreigners of Korean, Chinese, and Nepalese descent, and it is said that this was the beginning of the increase in the number of foreigners working in Kabukicho around the 1970’s. In the late 1980’s, with the establishment of Japanese language schools and vocational schools, the number of restaurants and retail stores for them The community has further expanded with the establishment of Japanese language schools and vocational schools in the late 1980s, and the number of restaurants, retail stores, and other stores catering to them has grown, making Kabukicho famous as a Korean town.
In recent years, the number of shared houses for foreigners has increased, further improving the living environment, which is considered to be one of the favorable factors for foreigners looking for a place to live.
Shinjuku City’s initiatives include the Shinjuku Multicultural Plaza, which aims to promote multicultural coexistence and international exchange, offering Japanese language classes, counseling for foreign residents, and providing useful materials for foreign residents. In a questionnaire survey of foreign residents, some expressed a desire to participate in local events, volunteer activities, and exchange events. Many people feel that they would like to actively engage in multicultural exchange, and it will be important to make efforts to create a more fulfilling community between foreigners and Japanese people.
Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, boasts strong popularity.
Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, although now in second place, is still a persistently popular city, and although there was a temporary decline in the number of households during the Corona Disaster period, the city remains as popular as ever. The percentage of foreigners in Kawaguchi City’s population is currently about 40,000, or 7.3% of the city’s population (as of the end of May 2024).
Location-wise, Kawaguchi City has easy access to central Tokyo, making it convenient for commuting to work in Tokyo. Kawaguchi City also has a historical background of accepting many foreign workers as a “foundry town. Especially since the 1980s, when Chinese orphans and their families returned to Japan, Kawaguchi City was chosen as a place to receive them, and a community of Chinese people was formed and more and more people moved to the city relying on them.
In addition, Kawaguchi City has adopted a “multicultural conviviality policy” as part of its urban development policy, and by having foreigners of various nationalities work in the manufacturing, construction/demolition, and nursing care industries, where labor shortages are a concern, the city is hoping to eliminate labor shortages and improve Kawaguchi City’s finances.
What are some examples of the efforts of the Cooperative Activities Promotion Division, which is in charge of “multicultural policies”?
- Enhancement of Japanese Language Classes
A survey of foreign residents in Kawaguchi City regarding their method of learning Japanese shows that although nearly half of the respondents answered that they are self-taught, nearly 30% of them would like to learn by attending volunteer classes.
(Exhibit: Kawaguchi City Questionnaire for a Multicultural Society )
Kawaguchi City is responding to the needs of foreigners who want to learn Japanese by offering classes at community centers and other places where volunteers hold classes according to the level of Japanese, indicating that the city provides ample support for foreigners who want to learn Japanese.
- Implementation of rules and manner lectures for foreign caregivers
Lectures on business manners and ways of thinking for working comfortably in Japan, such as the characteristics of Japanese people (compassion and hospitality) and how to communicate in the workplace, are provided. The city supports an environment in which foreigners can work comfortably, which is a big advantage for foreigners and may be perceived as a comfortable place to live.
- The 16th Kawaguchi City Japanese Speech Contest by Foreign Residents
In this contest, which has been held for more than 10 years, foreign residents are asked to make a presentation in Japanese about the cultural differences between their own country and the country in which they grew up, and about their feelings while actually living in Kawaguchi City. The contest provides an opportunity to deepen mutual understanding of the differences in culture and lifestyle, and is considered to be a good trial for both sides to live comfortably together. Participation in the contest will also provide an opportunity to improve their conversational level in Japanese.
Thus, not only the superiority of the location, but also the fact that the city has actively created a comfortable environment for foreigners to live in over the years has made it generally recognized as a comfortable place for foreigners to live, and is probably the reason why the foreign population is still increasing.
Vietnamese population is increasing in Edogawa and Adachi wards in Tokyo.
Edogawa-ku, Tokyo (No. 3) and Adachi Ward, Tokyo (No. 4) seem to be more popular areas than Shinjuku-ku, a business and tourist hub, because rent is more affordable, it is easier to secure a spacious property, and there are many factories where foreign workers work. Transportation access to the city center is also favorable, with Edogawa Ward and the JR Sobu Line and Tokyo Metro Tozai Line, and Adachi Ward and the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda and Hibiya Lines and Tobu Skytree Line providing convenient access to the city center, making the area an easy commute to work and school.
A comparison of foreign nationalities shows that many Indian and Vietnamese nationals live in Edogawa Ward, while many Vietnamese and Filipino nationals live in Adachi Ward (as of January 1, 2024). (As of January 1, 2024) In Edogawa Ward, there are many Asian stores in the entertainment district around Koiwa, and in Adachi Ward, there are many stores catering to foreigners in the Takenotsuka area, which seems to create a comfortable working and living environment for people of these nationalities.
(Exhibit: Table 1: Foreign Population by Nationality and Region by Ward, City, Town and Village (Top 10 Countries and Regions) )
The government also focuses on Japanese language classes for foreigners and support for their daily lives, and the public and private sectors work together to welcome foreigners, which is why the area is recognized as a comfortable place to live.
Koto-ku, Tokyo, popular among high-income earners from overseas.
Koto-ku, Tokyo, ranked fifth, is popular among Japanese as a bay area where redevelopment projects such as Toyosu are underway, and rents are higher than in the Edogawa and Adachi wards mentioned above, making this area home to many foreign expatriates from high-income families. On the other hand, Kameido and other areas are relatively affordable, and a wide variety of foreigners live there. With easy access to central Tokyo, this area is also very convenient for expatriates working in the IT and financial industries, and is very convenient for commuting to school.
The Kameido area, where many Chinese supermarkets and restaurants are located, is said to have had an overseas Chinese (meaning Chinese living overseas) community since before World War II. The number of immigrants continued to increase after the war, and it is thought that the number of restaurants and other stores increased in response to their daily needs.
In the bay area such as Toyosu and Shinonome, English-speaking hospitals and international schools have been established, and there are many cases of expatriates living with their families.
The area is also rich in tourist and leisure spots such as Odaiba and Toyosu Market, and this may be due to the infrastructure that has been developed in conjunction with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which has increased the area’s visibility.
As in the higher-ranked areas, the administration promotes multiculturalism and international exchange, providing multilingual support, assistance in learning Japanese, and lifestyle support.
(Exhibit: Koto-ku’s efforts toward multiculturalism and international exchange )
Let’s take a look at areas where a foreign community has already been established and incorporate what we can!
In areas where many foreigners live, they come to Japan to study or work, and what started out as a small community expands as more and more foreigners gather, and services such as restaurants and retail stores are enhanced as businesses catering to the foreign population. It is thought that a virtuous cycle has been created in which the community and services are expanded by making their lives more comfortable and making it easier to attract more foreigners.
According to the results of a survey conducted by the government, although confusion over differences in culture and lifestyle with Japanese people and a lack of communication with Japanese people still remain issues, coexistence with foreigners will become more important than ever in Japan, where the birthrate is declining and the aging population is increasing and there is concern about labor shortages.
It is expected that the number of foreign visitors to Japan will continue to increase. Why don’t other cities, towns, and villages take a cue from the efforts of areas where many foreigners already live, and start incorporating what they can do right now?
