Japanese emigrants in the world

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Emigration and the Nikkei Communities

Overseas Emigration Council: Future Policy Regarding Cooperation with Overseas Communities of Nikkei, December 11, 2000


Statistics on Japanese emigrants in the world

Nikkei demographics of the Americas, Nikkei demographics of the world, Historical overview and timeline of Japanese emigration, International Nikkei timelines (from International Nikkei Resources Guide, International Nikkei Research Project of Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles)


Overseas Japanese nationals
The numbers of overseas Japanese nationals with permanent residency
in the country of residence, as of 1 October 2002
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 @2002@ ratio(%)
Asia 8,014 6,140 6,602 6,569 6,911 7,590 3
Pacific 17,797 19,356 20,776 22,802 24,868 26,959 9
North America 118,541 122,227 125,596 130,102 135,242 124,280 44
Central America 2,498 2,532 2,490 2,342 2,565 2,844 1
South America 105,168 102,061 97,114 93,064 90,958 90,003 32
Western Europe 21,405 24,738 26,249 28,474 30,975 32,044 11
Eastern Europe 255 292 331 342 383 425 0
Middle East 773 927 972 886 981 1,070 0
Africa 368 346 427 446 427 490 0
Total 274,819 278,619 280,557 285,027 293,310 285,705 100

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs


The numbers of overseas Japanese nationals who stay more than 3 months without permanent residency
in the country of residence, as of 1 October 2002
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 @2002@ ratio(%)
Asia 153,770 155,036 152,512 156,539 166,913 180,362 31
Pacific 20,731 20,212 24,361 29,107 31,337 36,629 6
North America 193,073 195,739 198,699 201,940 212,147 228,078 39
Central America 5,673 5,059 4,460 4,683 4,308 4,133 1
South America 7,021 6,663 6,682 6,432 5,951 5,649 1
Western Europe 111,220 112,285 113,418 113,728 109,638 118,543 20
Eastern Europe 3,410 3,901 4,082 4,230 4,346 4,684 1
Middle East 4,794 4,833 5,082 4,440 4,302 4,538 1
Africa 8,017 7,148 5,959 5,546 5,452 5,280 1
South Pole 40 39 40 40 40 40 0
Total 507,749 510,915 515,295 526,685 544,434 587,936 100

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs


The countries and cities which have a large number of Japanese nationals who stay for more than 3 months without permanent residency
in the country of residence, as of 1 October 2002

Countries Numbers
1 USA 214,581
2 China 63,098
3 UK 41,407
4 Australia 26,852
5 France 25,053
6 Thailand 24,746
7 Germany 23,525
8 Singapore 19,660
9 South Korea 18,441
10 Taiwan 14,719

Cities Numbers
1 New York 48,710
2 Los Angeles 28,946
3 Hong Kong 25,421
4 Singapore 19,660
5 London 19,165
6 Bangkok 18,903
7 Shanghai 15,694
8 Sydney 12,463
9 Paris 12,419
10 Taipei 8,783
Source: Foreign Ministry of Japan

Asian-Americans

New York Times: "A Slaying in 1982 Maintains Its Grip on Asian-Americans," 18 June 2002.

New York Times: "For Asian-Americans, a New Political Resolve," 22 September, 1999

New York Times: "Asian-American Programs Are Flourishing at Colleges," 9 June 1999

New York Times: "Asian-Americans Set to Flex Political Muscle," 15 November 1997

New York Times: "For Asian-Americans, Political Power Can Lead to Harsh Scrutiny," 3 November 1996.

Washington Post: "Koreans Clebrate 100 Years in America," 12 January 2003.

Chinese, Indian and Korean migrants

According to the New York Times' article, "India harvests Fruits of a Diaspora," published on 12 January 2003, there are 20 million overseas Indians and "Indians are the largest minority group in Britain and have the highest income among its minority groups. Indian-Americans have a median income 50 percent higher than the national average for the United States. Yet foreign direct investment by Indians abroad is only $1 billion, compared with about $60 billion invested by 55 million overseas Chinese."

BBC News: "Nationality joy for oversess Indians," 9 January 2003

BBC News: "India forges closer ties with diaspora," 9 January 2003

BBC News South Asian Debates: "Dual citizenship for Indians: Is it too late?" 18 January 2002

BBC News: "Overseas Chinese gather in Singapore," 9 March 2001. According to the article, "ethnic Chinese community leaders and scholars from around the world are meeting in Singapore for what's billed as the first gathering of the Chinese diaspora."

Korea Times: "Overseas Koreans Boost Host Economies," 26 January 2003. According to the article, about 6 million Koreans live overseas.

Corean Dongpo Solidarity

Updated January 2003 | Home