Foreign residents in Japan hit record 3.95 million

Foreign residents accounted for 3.21 pct of the country's total population.

According to the Immigration Services Agency, the number of foreign residents is expected to stand at 4.15 million at the end of this year.

In the first half of 2025, the number of foreigners entering Japan climbed 20.0 pct from a year before to 21,376,170, growing at a pace that could bring the annual total for this year to a record 45 million.

Also at a press conference, Suzuki explained the progress that has been made on a plan compiled in May to reduce the number of illegal stayers in the country to zero.

The minister said that the number of individuals deported at government expense in June-August doubled to 119 from 58 in the same period last year.

The total number of deportees in the latest reporting period stood at 2,120, almost unchanged.