MHLW statistics published January 2025 reported that foreign workers in Japan had surpassed 2.3 million as of October 2024 — the largest single-year jump on record (~12% YoY). Vietnamese, Filipino, and Indonesian workers led the increase, concentrated in SSW and Engineer/Specialist categories.
Broader labour-market context — signals continued integration of non-Japanese workers across sectors.
Primary: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare ↗
Corroborating: Cabinet Office of Japan ↗
Verified 2026-04-19 · methodology · report a correction