According to data released by the Immigration Bureau of Japan, as of the end of June 2023, a total of 3,223,858 foreigners were living in Japan, an increase of 4.8% year-on-year from 2022, an increase of 148,645, a record high.
Judging by the published data, it is not surprising that among foreigners in Japan, the largest proportion is from China. In other words, almost 1 in 4 foreigners living in Japan is Chinese. And this figure does not include the total number of Chinese in Japan, including Taiwan, China, otherwise it will be more (and the statistics do not include short-term stays of less than three months, black households, etc.).
Vietnam, which accounts for the second largest proportion, also has a relatively high growth rate, with an increase of 30,842 people compared with the previous year. You must know that 10 years ago, there were only a few tens of thousands of Vietnamese who moved to Japan, but in 10 years, the number of Vietnamese people has increased to 520154.
In addition, there is another developed country that is also in the top 10, and that is the United States. It is not difficult to guess why Americans chose to leave the United States and move to Japan. In recent years, the political and security turmoil in the United States has caused many Americans to feel uneasy, and Japan's security is one of the best in the world, which naturally attracts many Americans to move to Japan.
According to reports, most of the Chinese in Japan choose to live in Tokyo, followed by Saitama Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture, and Chiba Prefecture. In addition, in the areas within Tokyo, the most inhabited by Chinese are Toshima Ward, Adachi Ward, Edogawa Ward, Shinjuku Ward, and Itabashi Ward.
Because of the large number of Chinese residents in these areas, unique Chinese living areas have gradually formed in the local area, and these areas have various living facilities such as supermarkets, Chinese restaurants, and karaoke restaurants for Chinese!
In addition, among the 3.22 million foreigners living in Japan for the medium to long term, 880,178 foreigners have permanent residence visas, accounting for about 27%. This was followed by technical intern trainees, accounting for 358,159 people. In third place are 346,116 migrant workers who hold international knowledge of technology and humanities, that is, live in Japan on work visas. The fourth is international students, accounting for 305,916 people. Finally, there are special permanent residents, with 284,807.
It can be seen that the Chinese currently living in Japan mainly take permanent residence visas.
Permanent residency is permanent residency, which means that a country allows citizens of other countries to live in that country forever and enjoy the same rights and benefits as their own citizens.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the number of foreign immigrants in Japan has increased significantly, and it has become the fourth largest "immigration country" in the world.
According to the latest report by Japan's Asahi Shimbun on February 5, the Japanese government is considering amending the existing law to cancel the permanent residence qualification of foreign permanent residents who do not pay taxes or insurance premiums.
The aim of this move is to "optimize" the right of permanent residence as Japan expands its acceptance of foreign workers and strengthens its response to cases of non-compliance with public obligations.
According to the Immigration Control Refugee Act, the requirements for applying for permanent residence are "good conduct" and "financial resources to support one's livelihood". The Japanese government has also established basic guidelines for obtaining a permanent residence permit, such as living in Japan for more than 10 years without imprisonment or fines, and fulfilling public obligations such as taxes and pensions.
It can be said that the Japanese government's examination of permanent residence applications is very strict. However, once you have obtained a permanent residence permit, you can live in Japan indefinitely, and there are no restrictions on employment. And there are many favorable policies in terms of home purchase and loans. On the other hand, the conditions for revocation of permanent residence status are limited to obtaining a permanent residence permit through false information or deception, or if you report a false address.
According to reports, many local governments in Japan are beginning to worry about the increase in fiscal burdens in the future, and have called on the Japanese government to rectify existing policies and laws, hoping to strengthen tax obligations and revoke the status of residence for non-payment or non-payment of taxes.
If you are a foreigner who enjoys the benefits of Japan and does not pay taxes or evade taxes, and you can only be repatriated to your place of origin after becoming a burden to other countries, it is reasonable to think that it depends on when the policy is implemented.