Table 8: Changes in the number of registered foreign nationals by status of residence

(People)

Year	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Status of Residence
Total	2,011,555	2,084,919	2,152,973	2,217,426	2,186,121
Professor	8,406	8,525	8,436	8,333	8,295
Artist	448	462	448	461	490
Religious Activities	4,588	4,654	4,732	4,601	4,448
Journalist	280	273	279	281	271
Investor/Business Manager	6,743	7,342	7,916	8,895	9,840
Legal/Accounting Services	126	141	145	154	161
Medical Services	146	138	174	199	220
Researcher	2,494	2,332	2,276	2,285	2,372
Instructor	9,449	9,511	9,832	10,070	10,129
Engineer	29,044	35,135	44,684	52,273	50,493
Specialist in Humanities/International Services	55,276	57,323	61,763	67,291	69,395
Intra-company Transferee	11,977	14,014	16,111	17,798	16,786
Entertainer	36,376	21,062	15,728	13,031	10,966
Skilled Labor	15,112	17,869	21,261	25,863	29,030
Cultural Activities	2,949	3,025	3,014	2,795	2,780
Temporary Visitor	68,747	56,449	49,787	40,407	33,378
College Student	129,568	131,789	132,460	138,514	145,909
Pre-college Student	28,147	36,721	38,130	41,313	46,759
Trainee	54,107	70,519	88,086	86,826	65,209
Dependent	86,055	91,344	98,167	107,641	115,081
Designated Activities	87,324	97,476	104,488	121,863	130,636
Permanent Resident	349,804	394,477	439,757	492,056	533,472
Spouse or Child of Japanese National	259,656	260,955	256,980	245,497	221,923
Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident	11,066	12,897	15,365	17,839	19,570
Long-Term Resident	265,639	268,836	268,604	258,498	221,771
Special Permanent Resident	451,909	443,044	430,229	420,305	409,565
Without Acquiring Status of Residence	15,353	17,415	13,960	13,510	12,376
Temporary Refuge	30	30	30	30	30
Others	20,736	21,161	20,131	18,797	14,766

(*) Status of Residence (meaning the status of residence provided for by the Immigration Control Act or the status of

"special permanent resident" which allows residence)

Looking at changes in the number of permanent residents which has steadily increased during the period between the end of 2005 and the end of 2009, it increased by 183,668 (52.5%) at the end of 2009 from 349,804 as of the end of 2005.

According to statistics by nationality (place of origin), the largest number of permanent residents came from China. The number of Chinese permanent residents was 156,295 as of the end of 2009, followed by Brazil, the Philippines, North and South Korea and Peru. Further, China, Brazil, the Philippines and Peru increased by about 1.5 times, 1.8 times, 1.6 times, and 1.4 times, respectively, compared to the end of 2005.

On the other hand, the number of registered foreign nationals who were “Special Permanent Residents” that occupied the largest percentage until 2006 is decreasing year by year, while the percentage occupying the total number of registered foreign nationals is decreasing accordingly. Looking at changes over a longer period, the percentage of foreign nationals equivalent to the status of “Special Permanent Residents” occupied approximately 90% from the time just after the war until 1955. However, the decrease in the number of “Special Permanent Residents” itself and the increase of foreign nationals newly visiting Japan with various purposes (so-called newcomers) are both driving the tendency of “Special Permanent Residents” to decrease, which vividly shows the change in the situation in Japan surrounding resident foreign nationals. Also in the future, the total number of Special Permanent Residents may