Japan's foreign workforce tops 2.5m for first time

Japan immigration

Vietnamese lead by country of origin, while manufacturing draws most by sector

20260130N vietnamese factory boss

Foreign workers are an increasingly significant part of Japan's labor force, especially in manufacturing, nursing and hospitality. (Photo by Atsushi Ooka)

KENTA SHIMAI

January 31, 2026 05:58 JST

TOKYO -- Japan hosted 2,571,037 foreign workers last year, labor ministry data released Friday shows, surpassing 2.5 million for the first time in records going back to 2008.

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