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Country profile

French nationals in Japan

Total residents (2025)
17,088
Total Population of France: ~68 million
Growth (past 10 years)
+60.1%
10,672 in 2015 → 17,088 in 2025

Top visa types (2025)

Permanent resident
4,035
Engineer / Humanities
3,419
Spouse of Japanese
2,678
Student
2,349
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The Average French Migrant

Male profile

The average French male in Japan is a permanent resident in his early thirties, living in Tokyo.

Modal age30–34
Top visaPermanent resident (26.6%)
2nd visaEngineer / Humanities (19.9%)
Population11,938 (69.9%)
Female profile

The average French female in Japan is an engineering or international-services professional in her early thirties, living in Tokyo.

Modal age30–34
Top visaEngineer / Humanities (20.3%)
2nd visaStudent (18.5%)
Population5,150 (30.1%)

Population over time

Total French residents

Annual figures, 2006–2025 — hover the line for details
05,00010,00015,00020,00020062010201520202025
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2024
Permanent resident Engineer / Humanities Spouse of Japanese Instructor Student Others

Visa Types

What do these visa types mean? →

Status of residence (2025)

Current snapshot
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 Permanent resident Permanent resident: 4,035 4,035 Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services: 3,419 3,419 Spouse of Japanese Spouse of Japanese: 2,678 2,678 Student Student: 2,349 2,349 Designated activities Designated activities: 1,466 1,466 Family stay / Dependent Family stay / Dependent: 1,116 1,116 High-skilled professional High-skilled professional: 400 400 Professor Professor: 261 261 Business manager Business manager: 230 230 Long-term resident Long-term resident: 196 196 Cultural activities Cultural activities: 149 149 Intra-company transferee Intra-company transferee: 147 147
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 Permanent resident Permanent resident 2015: 2,133 Permanent resident 2025: 4,035 2,133 4,035 (2025) Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services 2015: 2,064 Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services 2025: 3,419 2,064 3,419 (2025) Spouse of Japanese Spouse of Japanese 2015: 1,599 Spouse of Japanese 2025: 2,678 1,599 2,678 (2025) Student Student 2015: 1,314 Student 2025: 2,349 1,314 2,349 (2025) Designated activities Designated activities 2015: 941 Designated activities 2025: 1,466 941 1,466 (2025) Family stay / Dependent Family stay / Dependent 2015: 1,109 Family stay / Dependent 2025: 1,116 1,109 1,116 (2025) High-skilled professional High-skilled professional 2015: 31 High-skilled professional 2025: 400 31 400 (2025) Professor Professor 2015: 272 272 261 (2025) Business manager Business manager 2015: 236 236 230 (2025) Long-term resident Long-term resident 2015: 81 Long-term resident 2025: 196 81 196 (2025)
Where France is heavier than rest of world Where France is lighter (or absent) Permanent resident French: 23.6% 23.6% Rest of world: 23.0% 23.0% Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services French: 20.0% 20.0% Rest of world: 11.5% 11.5% Spouse of Japanese French: 15.7% 15.7% Rest of world: 3.7% 3.7% Student French: 13.7% 13.7% Rest of world: 11.3% 11.3% Designated activities French: 8.6% 8.6% Rest of world: 3.0% 3.0% High-skilled professional French: 2.3% 2.3% Rest of world: 0.8% 0.8% Professor French: 1.5% 1.5% Rest of world: 0.2% 0.2% Business manager French: 1.3% 1.3% Rest of world: 1.1% 1.1% Cultural activities French: 0.9% 0.9% Rest of world: 0.1% 0.1% Intra-company transferee French: 0.9% 0.9% Rest of world: 0.5% 0.5% Instructor French: 0.6% 0.6% Rest of world: 0.4% 0.4% Researcher French: 0.5% 0.5% Rest of world: 0.0% 0.0% Entertainer French: 0.3% 0.3% Rest of world: 0.1% 0.1% Artist French: 0.3% 0.3% Rest of world: 0.0% 0.0% Specified Skilled Worker French: 0.2% 0.2% Rest of world: 9.5% 9.5% Special Permanent resident French: 0.6% 0.6% Rest of world: 6.5% 6.5% Long-term resident French: 1.1% 1.1% Rest of world: 5.5% 5.5% Family stay / Dependent French: 6.5% 6.5% Rest of world: 8.6% 8.6% Spouse of PR French: 0.5% 0.5% Rest of world: 1.4% 1.4% Skilled labour French: 0.5% 0.5% Rest of world: 1.3% 1.3% Nursing care French: 0.0% 0.0% Rest of world: 0.4% 0.4%

Demographics

Age distribution

All French residents — five-year age brackets, December 2025
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 0–4: 330 330 0–4 5–9: 288 288 5–9 10–14: 263 263 10–14 15–19: 299 299 15–19 20–24: 2,140 2,140 20–24 25–29: 2,534 2,534 25–29 30–34: 2,812 2,812 30–34 35–39: 2,288 2,288 35–39 40–44: 1,949 1,949 40–44 45–49: 1,400 1,400 45–49 50–54: 1,005 1,005 50–54 55–59: 626 626 55–59 60–64: 402 402 60–64 65–69: 271 271 65–69 70–74: 235 235 70–74 75–79: 166 166 75–79 80+: 80 80 80+
MALE 男性 FEMALE 女性 0–4 161 169 5–9 130 158 10–14 140 123 15–19 150 149 20–24 1,207 933 25–29 1,591 943 30–34 1,847 965 35–39 1,782 506 40–44 1,629 320 45–49 1,188 212 50–54 828 177 55–59 501 125 60–64 313 89 65–69 188 83 70–74 131 104 75–79 107 59 80+ 45 35

Gender split

December 2025
Male: 11,938 (69.9%) Female: 5,150 (30.1%) 17,088 total
Male
11,938 (69.9%)
Female
5,150 (30.1%)

The French community leans male (70%) and is thoroughly settled: permanent residents (24%), professionals (20%) and spouses of Japanese nationals (16%) top the list.

Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services: 1,043 (20.3%) Student: 954 (18.5%) Permanent resident: 864 (16.8%) Family stay / Dependent: 660 (12.8%) Designated activities: 581 (11.3%) Spouse of Japanese: 522 (10.1%) Instructor: 66 (1.3%) Long-term resident: 63 (1.2%) Professor: 63 (1.2%) Cultural activities: 62 (1.2%) High-skilled professional: 56 (1.1%) Special Permanent resident: 47 (0.9%) Spouse of PR: 37 (0.7%) Other: 132 (2.6%) Total female 5,150
5,150 female French residents — by status of residence
Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services1,043
Student954
Permanent resident864
Family stay / Dependent660
Designated activities581
Spouse of Japanese522
Instructor66
Long-term resident63
Professor63
Cultural activities62
High-skilled professional56
Special Permanent resident47
Spouse of PR37
Other132
Permanent resident: 3,171 (26.6%) Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services: 2,376 (19.9%) Spouse of Japanese: 2,156 (18.1%) Student: 1,395 (11.7%) Designated activities: 885 (7.4%) Family stay / Dependent: 456 (3.8%) High-skilled professional: 344 (2.9%) Professor: 198 (1.7%) Business manager: 193 (1.6%) Long-term resident: 133 (1.1%) Intra-company transferee: 113 (0.9%) Cultural activities: 87 (0.7%) Skilled labour: 80 (0.7%) Other: 351 (2.9%) Total male 11,938
11,938 male French residents — by status of residence
Permanent resident3,171
Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services2,376
Spouse of Japanese2,156
Student1,395
Designated activities885
Family stay / Dependent456
High-skilled professional344
Professor198
Business manager193
Long-term resident133
Intra-company transferee113
Cultural activities87
Skilled labour80
Other351
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 2010 2015 2020 2025 Female 5,150 Male 11,938

Where they live (2025)

By region — heat map

Hover or tap a region to see its breakdown.
Hokkaido Hokkaido 723 723 Tohoku Tohoku 518 518 Kanto Kanto 2,621 2,621 Chubu Chubu 1,926 1,926 Kansai Kansai 3,189 3,189 Chugoku Chugoku 487 487 Shikoku Shikoku 245 245 Kyushu Kyushu 1,158 1,158
Fewer
More
Selected region
Kanto
11,830
57.6% of Japan total
Top Visa Categories
Prefectures
Tokyo
7,596
Kanagawa
1,948
Chiba
1,018
Saitama
763
Ibaraki
231
Tochigi
138
Gunma
136

Highest and Lowest Prefectures

2025 Resident Counts
Top 10
Tokyo
Kanto
8,415
Kanagawa
Kanto
1,388
Osaka
Kansai
1,120
Kyoto
Kansai
969
Chiba
Kanto
547
Saitama
Kanto
527
Aichi
Chubu
484
Hyogo
Kansai
483
Fukuoka
Kyushu
458
Hokkaido
Hokkaido
380
Bottom 10
Saga
Kyushu
12
Kochi
Shikoku
14
Yamagata
Tohoku
14
Tottori
Chugoku
17
Akita
Tohoku
19
Tokushima
Shikoku
20
Fukui
Chubu
22
Shimane
Chugoku
22
Toyama
Chubu
22
Iwate
Tohoku
24

Prefecture Growth, 2015 to 2025

Absolute change in French residents over the past decade
Largest increase
Tokyo
Kanto
+2665
Osaka
Kansai
+588
Kanagawa
Kanto
+505
Kyoto
Kansai
+459
Chiba
Kanto
+285
Largest decrease
Mie
Kansai
-5
Tochigi
Kanto
-3
Tottori
Chugoku
+2
Kochi
Shikoku
+3
Saga
Kyushu
+5
0 2,500 5,000 7,500 10,000 2010 2015 2020 2025 Tokyo Kanagawa Osaka Kyoto Chiba Saitama Aichi Hyogo

Fun Fact

France is the largest EU community in Japan — 17,088 people, nearly half of them in Tokyo, where Kagurazaka's French school and bistros have earned it the nickname 'Petit Paris'.
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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