According to statistics released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on January 1st, a growing number of foreign nationals are coming to live and work in Japan. This number is about 2.5 million, an increase of 7.5% over the previous year.
Where in Japan are they living? Big cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Aichi obviously at-tract more people. Tokyo alone embraces 520,000 non-Japanese people, which accounts for 4% of its population. Shinjuku-ku has the highest foreign population of Tokyo’s 23 wards.
Rural areas have seen a dramatic growth rate while a large number of international work-ers continue to reside in the metropolises. Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu has faced the largest growth of all in its foreign-national population with a 17 % increase over the previ-ous year. Other prefectures in Kyushu, including Kagoshima and Miyazaki, also had large increases, as they welcome international students and technical interns.
At a city/ward level, Yubari City in Hokkaido attracts many international workers drawn to the tourism industry.
Yubari CityInternational workers are sought everywhere throughout Japan, especially those who are fluent in the languages of various countries and/or those who have a professional skill. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare reported approximately 1.28 million non-Japanese workers in Japan as of the end of October 2017. Many of these are from China, Vietnam and the Philippines. Approximately 30% of non-Japanese workers have a job in manufacturing industry, with most of these being technical interns.
It is possible to come and work in Japan as a trainee, acquiring specialized skills to use in your home country’s development when you return. If you already have a professional skill in your home country, the experience of working in Japan will provide you with new skills and experiences in addition to being a positive boost for your career portfolio.
The Japanese Government plans to establish the new status of residency by next spring and this will be a fantastic opportunity for you to come and live and work in Japan.
［Reference］Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
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