### Chapter 2. Foreign Nationals Residing in Japan

## Section 1 ◆ The Number of Foreign Residents in Japan

## The Number of Foreign Residents in Japan

While the number of foreign nationals entering Japan shows the “flow” of foreign nationals, the number of foreign nationals residing in Japan comprises the statistics on “stock” to show how many foreign nationals reside in Japan at a certain point in time.

At the end of 2012, the number of mid to long-term residents in Japan was 1,652,292, and the number of special permanent residents was 381,364. Adding these two numbers together, the total number of foreign residents was 2,033,656 $ (^{*}1) $ , a decrease of 13,693 (0.7%) from the number of alien registrations (excluding temporary visitors) $ (^{*}2) $ at the end of 2011. Although the number of alien registrations (excluding temporary visitors) decreased for three consecutive years from the end of 2009, the amount of the decline in the number of foreign residents at the end of 2012 had substantially subsided from 2011 and the previous years, although it is impracticable to make a simple comparison.

At the end of 2012, the number of foreign residents as a percentage of the total population of Japan (127,515,000) was 1.59%, which was 0.01 point lower than 1.60% which was the number of alien registrations (excluding temporary visitors) as a percentage of the total population of Japan at the end of 2011. (Chart 17)

Chart 17: Changes in the total number of alien registrations and foreign residents, and changes in foreign residents as a percentage of the total population of Japan

$ ^{*1} $ These numbers are based on the statistics as at the end of December each year.

$ ^{*2} $ The numbers until 1985 represent the number of alien registrations, the numbers between 1990 and 2011 represent the sum of the number of alien registrations who stayed in Japan with the status of residence eligible for mid to long-term residents and the number of special permanent residents (number of alien registrations (excluding temporary visitors)), and the number for 2012 represents the number of foreign residents adding together mid to long-term residents and special permanent residents.

$ ^{*3} $ The “percentage of the total population of Japan” is calculated based on the population as of October 1 every year taken from the “Population Estimates” and the “Population Census” of the Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

(1) Although statistics were previously prepared on the number of foreign nationals who had filed an alien registration under the Alien Registration Act, the Alien Registration Act was abolished as a result of the implementation of the new residency management system after amendments were made to the Immigration Control Act and other related acts in July 2012. Given this, the statistics of 2012 focus on the actual conditions of foreign nationals residing in Japan targeting "mid to long-term residents" and "special permanent residents" (hereinafter referred to collectively as "foreign residents") subject to the new residency management system.

It is impracticable to simply compare the number of foreign residents and the number of alien registrations because of the differences in the scope of foreign nationals to whom the different systems apply.

$ ^{*2} $ For reference purposes, Chart 17 shows the number of foreign nationals with alien registrations who reside in Japan with statuses of residence that would make them eligible for the status of mid to long-term resident as well as the number of special permanent residents (hereinafter referred to as the “number of alien registrations (excluding temporary visitors)”) from 1990 to 2011.