Foreign population

The number of registered foreigners is 1,851,758 as of December 2002, which is 1.45% of the Japanese population. The number of those with permanent residency status is 713,775.

(Source: Japan Immigration Association, Statistics on the Registered Foreigners in Japan 2002)

The number of foreigners who have overstayed their visas is 220,552 as of January 2003.

(Source: Ministry of Justice)

Koreans

Han World

Yasunori Fukuoka's Homepage: Professor Fukuoka of Saitama University is a leading scholar on Koreans in Japan.

Erin Aeran Chung, "Non citizens, Voice, and Identity: the Politics of Citizenship in Japan's Korean Community," Center for Comparative Immigration Studies (CCIS) Working Paper No. 80, June 2003

Chinese

Chinese Diaspora

Brazilians

International Nikkei Research Project of Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles

Yamawaki Keizo, "New Legislation needed for a multicultural Japan," International Herald Tribune/The Asahi Shimbun, 17 December 2002.

BBC News: "Japan's fear of Brazilians," 29 June 2002

Miami Herald: "Brazilian-Japanese fanatics find home away from home," 28 June 2002

International Press: Portuguese weekly newspaper in Japan, founded in 1991.

Portal Dekassegui, based in Critiba City, Brazil


Peruvians

International Press: Spanish weekly newspaper in Japan, founded in 1994.


Filipinos

Philippines Today: "The longest running, most-widely read newspaper for Filipinos in Japan"

Philippines Today: "Workers' Congress Held in Japan," 15 Dec. 01-14 Jan. 02

Filipina Circle for Advancement and Progress: "An organization of Filipina mostly married Japanese committed to working towards the recognition, protection, upliftment of Filipina and their children's condition, strive for advancement and progress,and the realization of common aspiration for better life, be it in Japan or in the Philippines.

The Philippines Women's League of Japan, Tokyo: "A group of Filipino women opposed to the deployment of Filipino workers overseas, particularly women being sent to Japan as bar hostesses."

"Migrants slam PM Koizumi for miseries of OFWs in Japan," 9 January 2002, from NGO Press Releases and Statements of December 18.

The Manila Times: "Japan cracks whip on Filipino illegals, " 25 September 2002.

Sun star Manila: "Japan starts own crackdown v. illegal Pinoys," 25 September 2002.

James N. Anderson, "Filipina Migrants to Japan: Entertainers, House Helpers, and Homemakers," The Annual Report of the Institute of International Studies, Meiji Gakuin University, Vol. 2, 1999.


Thais

Human Rights Watch: "Thousands of Thai Women Trafficked to Japan," 21 September 2001

Human Rights Watch: "Owed Justice: Thai Women Trafficked into Debt Bondage in Japan, " September 2000


Vietnamese

VietFrance: The portal of the Vietnamese community in Europe

Japanese nationals of foreign background

Each year, approximately 15,000 foreigners acquire Japanese nationality by naturalization. The number of International marriages has also increased steadily. Thus, there are more and more Japanese citizens of diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Marutei Tsurunen: Mr. Tsurunen became the first member of the Japanese Diet with a Western background in February 2002. He is originally from Finland and came to Japan as a Christian missionary in 1967. He became a Japanese citizen in 1979. *BBC News: "Finn makes Japanese history," 8 February 2002.

Arudou Debito/Dave Aldwinckle's Home Page: Mr. Aldwinckle is an activist against racial discrimination in Japan. He is originally from the United States and came to Japan in 1988. He became a Japanese citizen in 2000. He is one of the plaintiff who filed papers in the Sapporo District Court in February 2001 to sue Yunohana Onsen, a family bathhouse in Otaru City, Hokkaido, which refused entry to foreigners, and Otaru City. In November 2002, the court decision was handed down, ordering the bathhouse to pay 1,000,000 yen compensation to each plaintiffs. For further detail, see the Otaru Lawsuit Information Site.

Updated December 2004 | Home