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Chinesein Japan

Total residents (2025)
930,428
Total Population of China: ~1.41 billion
Growth (past 10 years)
+39.7%
665,847 in 2015 → 930,428 in 2025

Top visa types (2025)

Permanent resident
357,565
Student
148,151
Engineer / Humanities
117,314
Family stay
93,581

The Average Chinese Resident

Male profile

The average Chinese male in Japan is a permanent resident in his late twenties, living in Tokyo.

Female profile

The average Chinese female in Japan is a permanent resident in her late thirties, living in Tokyo.

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Population over time

Total Chinese residents

Annual figures — Japan's largest and fastest-growing foreign community by volume · hover for details
0200,000400,000600,000800,0001,000,00019641970198019902000201020202025
0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 1995 2000 2008 2015 2020 2024
Permanent resident Student Engineer / Humanities Family stay / Dependent Technical Intern Trainee Others

Visa Types

What do these visa types mean? →

Status of residence (2025)

Current snapshot
0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 Permanent resident Permanent resident: 357,565 357,565 Student Student: 148,151 148,151 Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services: 117,314 117,314 Family stay / Dependent Family stay / Dependent: 93,581 93,581 Long-term resident Long-term resident: 32,047 32,047 Spouse of Japanese Spouse of Japanese: 26,617 26,617 Business manager Business manager: 24,840 24,840 Technical Intern Trainee Technical Intern Trainee: 22,583 22,583 High-skilled professional High-skilled professional: 22,169 22,169 Specified Skilled Worker Specified Skilled Worker: 22,105 22,105 Spouse of PR Spouse of PR: 21,762 21,762 Skilled labour Skilled labour: 15,178 15,178
0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 Permanent resident Permanent resident 2015: 225,605 Permanent resident 2025: 357,565 225,605 357,565 (2025) Student Student 2015: 108,331 Student 2025: 148,151 108,331 148,151 (2025) Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services 2015: 60,504 Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services 2025: 117,314 60,504 117,314 (2025) Family stay / Dependent Family stay / Dependent 2015: 64,492 Family stay / Dependent 2025: 93,581 64,492 93,581 (2025) Long-term resident Long-term resident 2015: 26,626 Long-term resident 2025: 32,047 26,626 32,047 (2025) Spouse of Japanese Spouse of Japanese 2015: 34,010 34,010 26,617 (2025) Business manager Business manager 2015: 8,690 Business manager 2025: 24,840 8,690 24,840 (2025) Technical Intern Trainee Technical Intern Trainee 2015: 89,086 89,086 22,583 (2025) High-skilled professional High-skilled professional 2015: 971 High-skilled professional 2025: 22,169 971 22,169 (2025) Specified Skilled Worker Specified Skilled Worker 2015: 0 Specified Skilled Worker 2025: 22,105 0 22,105 (2025)
Where China is heavier than rest of world Where China is lighter (or absent) Permanent resident Chinese: 38.4% 38.4% Rest of world: 18.5% 18.5% Student Chinese: 15.9% 15.9% Rest of world: 9.9% 9.9% Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services Chinese: 12.6% 12.6% Rest of world: 11.2% 11.2% Family stay / Dependent Chinese: 10.1% 10.1% Rest of world: 8.1% 8.1% Business manager Chinese: 2.7% 2.7% Rest of world: 0.7% 0.7% High-skilled professional Chinese: 2.4% 2.4% Rest of world: 0.3% 0.3% Spouse of PR Chinese: 2.3% 2.3% Rest of world: 1.1% 1.1% Skilled labour Chinese: 1.6% 1.6% Rest of world: 1.2% 1.2% Intra-company transferee Chinese: 0.6% 0.6% Rest of world: 0.4% 0.4% Professor Chinese: 0.2% 0.2% Rest of world: 0.2% 0.2% Medical Chinese: 0.2% 0.2% Rest of world: 0.0% 0.0% Cultural activities Chinese: 0.1% 0.1% Rest of world: 0.1% 0.1% Artist Chinese: 0.0% 0.0% Rest of world: 0.0% 0.0% Legal / Accounting Chinese: 0.0% 0.0% Rest of world: 0.0% 0.0% Technical Intern Trainee Chinese: 2.4% 2.4% Rest of world: 13.6% 13.6% Specified Skilled Worker Chinese: 2.4% 2.4% Rest of world: 11.5% 11.5% Special Permanent resident Chinese: 0.1% 0.1% Rest of world: 8.3% 8.3% Long-term resident Chinese: 3.4% 3.4% Rest of world: 6.1% 6.1% Designated activities Chinese: 1.4% 1.4% Rest of world: 3.5% 3.5% Spouse of Japanese Chinese: 2.9% 2.9% Rest of world: 4.0% 4.0% Instructor Chinese: 0.0% 0.0% Rest of world: 0.5% 0.5% Nursing care Chinese: 0.2% 0.2% Rest of world: 0.5% 0.5%

Demographics

Age distribution

All Chinese residents — five-year age brackets, December 2025
0 50,000 100,000 150,000 0–4: 22,853 22.9k 0–4 5–9: 38,594 38.6k 5–9 10–14: 39,391 39.4k 10–14 15–19: 45,029 45k 15–19 20–24: 95,114 95.1k 20–24 25–29: 116,583 116.6k 25–29 30–34: 97,512 97.5k 30–34 35–39: 121,409 121.4k 35–39 40–44: 105,085 105.1k 40–44 45–49: 79,174 79.2k 45–49 50–54: 58,467 58.5k 50–54 55–59: 42,611 42.6k 55–59 60–64: 32,743 32.7k 60–64 65–69: 17,477 17.5k 65–69 70–74: 9,687 9,687 70–74 75–79: 4,543 4,543 75–79 80+: 4,156 4,156 80+
MALE 男性 FEMALE 女性 0–4 11.9k 11k 5–9 20.2k 18.4k 10–14 20.5k 18.9k 15–19 24.3k 20.7k 20–24 55.1k 40k 25–29 65k 51.5k 30–34 48.8k 48.7k 35–39 56.1k 65.3k 40–44 45.4k 59.7k 45–49 31.5k 47.6k 50–54 22k 36.5k 55–59 15.4k 27.2k 60–64 12.6k 20.1k 65–69 7,061 10.4k 70–74 4,134 5,553 75–79 2,064 2,479 80+ 1,753 2,403

Gender split

December 2025
Male: 443,992 (47.7%) Female: 486,436 (52.3%) 930,428 total
Male
443,992 (47.7%)
Female
486,436 (52.3%)

The Chinese community is large and balanced (53% female), spanning students, IT and finance professionals, entrepreneurs and multi-generational permanent-resident families — the most diverse occupational mix of any nationality in Japan.

Permanent resident: 214,286 (44.1%) Student: 61,950 (12.7%) Family stay / Dependent: 55,675 (11.4%) Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services: 49,661 (10.2%) Spouse of Japanese: 20,447 (4.2%) Long-term resident: 17,325 (3.6%) Spouse of PR: 11,768 (2.4%) Technical Intern Trainee: 10,831 (2.2%) Specified Skilled Worker: 10,397 (2.1%) High-skilled professional: 9,517 (2.0%) Business manager: 8,485 (1.7%) Designated activities: 7,374 (1.5%) Skilled labour: 2,835 (0.6%) Other: 5,885 (1.2%) Total female 486,436
486,436 female Chinese residents — by status of residence
Permanent resident214,286
Student61,950
Family stay / Dependent55,675
Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services49,661
Spouse of Japanese20,447
Long-term resident17,325
Spouse of PR11,768
Technical Intern Trainee10,831
Specified Skilled Worker10,397
High-skilled professional9,517
Business manager8,485
Designated activities7,374
Skilled labour2,835
Other5,885
Permanent resident: 143,279 (32.3%) Student: 86,201 (19.4%) Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services: 67,653 (15.2%) Family stay / Dependent: 37,906 (8.5%) Business manager: 16,355 (3.7%) Long-term resident: 14,722 (3.3%) High-skilled professional: 12,652 (2.8%) Skilled labour: 12,343 (2.8%) Technical Intern Trainee: 11,752 (2.6%) Specified Skilled Worker: 11,708 (2.6%) Spouse of PR: 9,994 (2.3%) Spouse of Japanese: 6,170 (1.4%) Designated activities: 5,570 (1.3%) Other: 7,687 (1.7%) Total male 443,992
443,992 male Chinese residents — by status of residence
Permanent resident143,279
Student86,201
Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services67,653
Family stay / Dependent37,906
Business manager16,355
Long-term resident14,722
High-skilled professional12,652
Skilled labour12,343
Technical Intern Trainee11,752
Specified Skilled Worker11,708
Spouse of PR9,994
Spouse of Japanese6,170
Designated activities5,570
Other7,687
0 200,000 400,000 600,000 2010 2015 2020 2025 Female 486,436 Male 443,992

Where they live (2025)

By region — heat map

Hover or tap a region to see its breakdown.
Hokkaido Hokkaido 1.2% 1.2% Tohoku Tohoku 1.6% 1.6% Kanto Kanto 2,621 2,621 Chubu Chubu 10.6% 10.6% Kansai Kansai 17.1% 17.1% Chugoku Chugoku 2.6% 2.6% Shikoku Shikoku 0.9% 0.9% Kyushu Kyushu 3.7% 3.7%
Fewer
More
Selected region
Kanto
61.7%
555,711 residents
Top Visa Categories
Prefectures
Tokyo
294,826
Saitama
87,047
Kanagawa
84,236
Chiba
63,163
Ibaraki
13,040
Gunma
6,890
Tochigi
6,509

Highest and Lowest Prefectures

Share of all Chinese residents in Japan (2025)
Top 10
Tokyo
Kanto
32.8%
Osaka
Kansai
10.5%
Saitama
Kanto
9.6%
Kanagawa
Kanto
9.3%
Chiba
Kanto
7.0%
Aichi
Chubu
5.2%
Hyogo
Kansai
2.8%
Fukuoka
Kyushu
2.5%
Kyoto
Kansai
2.3%
Ibaraki
Kanto
1.4%
Bottom 10
Tottori
Chugoku
0.1%
Miyazaki
Kyushu
0.1%
Akita
Tohoku
0.1%
Kochi
Shikoku
0.1%
Aomori
Tohoku
0.1%
Saga
Kyushu
0.1%
Shimane
Chugoku
0.1%
Wakayama
Kansai
0.2%
Iwate
Tohoku
0.2%
Tokushima
Shikoku
0.2%

Prefecture Growth, 2015 to 2025

Percentage change in Chinese residents over the past decade · hover a row for real numbers
Fastest growth
Okinawa
Okinawa
+92%
Osaka
Kansai
+85%
Tokyo
Kanto
+75%
Kyoto
Kansai
+70%
Saitama
Kanto
+61%
Slowest growth
Miyazaki
Kyushu
-50%
Ehime
Shikoku
-43%
Fukui
Chubu
-42%
Tottori
Chugoku
-36%
Shimane
Chugoku
-35%
0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 2010 2015 2020 2025 Tokyo Osaka Saitama Kanagawa Chiba Aichi Hyogo Fukuoka

Fun Fact

Chinese residents are by far Japan's largest foreign community — about 1 in 4 of all foreign residents.
Interested to know more about migration numbers in Japan?
Explore Overview →Immigration statistics for the whole of Japan — 4.13 million foreign residentsAll Nationalities/Regions →This page is one of 67 — explore every major community in Japan
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