Employers hiring foreign employees also hits a new high
The number of foreign employees in Japan hit a new record high as of October 2024, as the number of workplaces employing them also reached new heights, according to reports.
Government data on Friday revealed there were 2.3 million foreign workers in Japan, with a growth rate of 12.4%, equivalent to an additional 254,000 people from a year earlier.
This is the biggest jump in foreign worker numbers since 2008, and it is the 12th straight year of record numbers of foreign employees in the country, The Agence France-Presse reported.
The number of workplaces also reached a new record high with 342,087, up 7.3% from a year before, Kyodo News reported.
Small businesses, or those with fewer than 30 employees, were the top foreign worker employers after accounting for 62.4% of the total.
According to reports, workers with visa statuses for specialised and technical fields made up the largest group of workers with 718,812, up by 20%.
By industry, the medical and welfare sector logged the biggest hike in foreign workers with 28.1%.
On the other hand, manufacturing employees from foreign countries saw the biggest share of Japan's foreign workers, with 598,314, up by 8.3% a year ago and accounting for 26% of all foreign workers in Japan.
By nationality, Vietnamese workers made up the largest share of Japan's foreign workers with 570,708, or 24.8%. Other nationalities with high numbers include:
Nationalities that saw the biggest increase in foreign employees were Myanmar and Indonesia, with 61% and 39.5% increases, respectively, according to reports.
"Many people, particularly those from Southeast Asia, still choose Japan," a labour ministry official said as quoted by Kyodo News.
The hike in Japan's foreign workers comes as the country grapples with a labour shortage fuelled by an ageing population. Government data from last year found that there are 9.46 million employees in the country who are aged 65 and above.
In addition to tapping into overseas talent, employers in Japan have also been beefing up recruitment for new graduates to fill their vacancies.
