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Country profile

Malaysians in Japan

Total residents (2025)
12,266
Total Population of Malaysia: ~34 million
Growth (past 10 years)
+40.4%
8,738 in 2015 → 12,266 in 2025

Top visa types (2025)

Permanent resident
3,645
Engineer / Humanities
2,914
Student
2,664
Family stay
1,034
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The Average Malaysian Migrant

Male profile

The average Malaysian male in Japan is an engineering or international-services professional in his early twenties, living in Tokyo.

Modal age20–24
Top visaEngineer / Humanities (28.6%)
2nd visaStudent (24.7%)
Population6,510 (53.1%)
Female profile

The average Malaysian female in Japan is a permanent resident in her late twenties, living in Tokyo.

Modal age25–29
Top visaPermanent resident (35.6%)
2nd visaStudent (18.3%)
Population5,756 (46.9%)

Population over time

Total Malaysian residents

Annual figures, 1969–2025 — hover the line for details
02,5005,0007,50010,00012,50019641970198019902000201020202025
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 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 Permanent resident Permanent resident: 3,645 3,645 Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services: 2,914 2,914 Student Student: 2,664 2,664 Family stay / Dependent Family stay / Dependent: 1,034 1,034 Spouse of Japanese Spouse of Japanese: 644 644 High-skilled professional High-skilled professional: 208 208 Intra-company transferee Intra-company transferee: 191 191 Long-term resident Long-term resident: 182 182 Designated activities Designated activities: 121 121 Professor Professor: 106 106 Business manager Business manager: 99 99 Spouse of PR Spouse of PR: 99 99
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 Permanent resident Permanent resident 2015: 2,507 Permanent resident 2025: 3,645 2,507 3,645 (2025) Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services 2015: 1,193 Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services 2025: 2,914 1,193 2,914 (2025) Student Student 2015: 2,755 2,755 2,664 (2025) Family stay / Dependent Family stay / Dependent 2015: 1,021 Family stay / Dependent 2025: 1,034 1,021 1,034 (2025) Spouse of Japanese Spouse of Japanese 2015: 489 Spouse of Japanese 2025: 644 489 644 (2025) High-skilled professional High-skilled professional 2015: 8 High-skilled professional 2025: 208 8 208 (2025) Intra-company transferee Intra-company transferee 2015: 147 Intra-company transferee 2025: 191 147 191 (2025) Long-term resident Long-term resident 2015: 148 Long-term resident 2025: 182 148 182 (2025) Designated activities Designated activities 2015: 63 Designated activities 2025: 121 63 121 (2025) Professor Professor 2015: 58 Professor 2025: 106 58 106 (2025)
Where Malaysia is heavier than rest of world Where Malaysia is lighter (or absent) Permanent resident Malaysian: 29.7% 29.7% Rest of world: 22.9% 22.9% Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services Malaysian: 23.8% 23.8% Rest of world: 11.5% 11.5% Student Malaysian: 21.7% 21.7% Rest of world: 11.2% 11.2% Spouse of Japanese Malaysian: 5.3% 5.3% Rest of world: 3.7% 3.7% High-skilled professional Malaysian: 1.7% 1.7% Rest of world: 0.8% 0.8% Intra-company transferee Malaysian: 1.6% 1.6% Rest of world: 0.5% 0.5% Professor Malaysian: 0.9% 0.9% Rest of world: 0.2% 0.2% Researcher Malaysian: 0.3% 0.3% Rest of world: 0.0% 0.0% Religion Malaysian: 0.2% 0.2% Rest of world: 0.1% 0.1% Cultural activities Malaysian: 0.2% 0.2% Rest of world: 0.1% 0.1% Technical Intern Trainee Malaysian: 0.5% 0.5% Rest of world: 11.1% 11.1% Specified Skilled Worker Malaysian: 0.5% 0.5% Rest of world: 9.5% 9.5% Special Permanent resident Malaysian: 0.1% 0.1% Rest of world: 6.5% 6.5% Long-term resident Malaysian: 1.5% 1.5% Rest of world: 5.5% 5.5% Designated activities Malaysian: 1.0% 1.0% Rest of world: 3.0% 3.0% Skilled labour Malaysian: 0.6% 0.6% Rest of world: 1.3% 1.3% Spouse of PR Malaysian: 0.8% 0.8% Rest of world: 1.4% 1.4% Business manager Malaysian: 0.8% 0.8% Rest of world: 1.1% 1.1%

Demographics

Age distribution

All Malaysian residents — five-year age brackets, December 2025
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 0–4: 319 319 0–4 5–9: 336 336 5–9 10–14: 277 277 10–14 15–19: 379 379 15–19 20–24: 2,120 2,120 20–24 25–29: 2,008 2,008 25–29 30–34: 1,662 1,662 30–34 35–39: 1,212 1,212 35–39 40–44: 914 914 40–44 45–49: 754 754 45–49 50–54: 702 702 50–54 55–59: 654 654 55–59 60–64: 491 491 60–64 65–69: 255 255 65–69 70–74: 134 134 70–74 75–79: 33 33 75–79 80+: 16 16 80+
MALE 男性 FEMALE 女性 0–4 165 154 5–9 179 157 10–14 136 141 15–19 229 150 20–24 1,337 783 25–29 1,161 847 30–34 883 779 35–39 659 553 40–44 526 388 45–49 399 355 50–54 353 349 55–59 245 409 60–64 138 353 65–69 54 201 70–74 26 108 75–79 10 23 80+ 10 6

Gender split

December 2025
Male: 6,510 (53.1%) Female: 5,756 (46.9%) 12,266 total
Male
6,510 (53.1%)
Female
5,756 (46.9%)

The Malaysian community in Japan has a fairly balanced gender split, with a slight male majority (53%), spanning workers, students, and long-term residents — and many settling permanently or marrying Japanese spouses.

Permanent resident: 2,048 (35.6%) Student: 1,056 (18.3%) Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services: 1,052 (18.3%) Family stay / Dependent: 662 (11.5%) Spouse of Japanese: 410 (7.1%) Long-term resident: 83 (1.4%) Spouse of PR: 69 (1.2%) Designated activities: 67 (1.2%) High-skilled professional: 67 (1.2%) Intra-company transferee: 59 (1.0%) Professor: 54 (0.9%) Business manager: 22 (0.4%) Researcher: 21 (0.4%) Other: 86 (1.5%) Total female 5,756
5,756 female Malaysian residents — by status of residence
Permanent resident2,048
Student1,056
Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services1,052
Family stay / Dependent662
Spouse of Japanese410
Long-term resident83
Spouse of PR69
Designated activities67
High-skilled professional67
Intra-company transferee59
Professor54
Business manager22
Researcher21
Other86
Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services: 1,862 (28.6%) Student: 1,608 (24.7%) Permanent resident: 1,597 (24.5%) Family stay / Dependent: 372 (5.7%) Spouse of Japanese: 234 (3.6%) High-skilled professional: 141 (2.2%) Intra-company transferee: 132 (2.0%) Long-term resident: 99 (1.5%) Business manager: 77 (1.2%) Skilled labour: 69 (1.1%) Technical Intern Trainee: 60 (0.9%) Designated activities: 54 (0.8%) Professor: 52 (0.8%) Other: 153 (2.4%) Total male 6,510
6,510 male Malaysian residents — by status of residence
Engineer / Humanities / Int'l services1,862
Student1,608
Permanent resident1,597
Family stay / Dependent372
Spouse of Japanese234
High-skilled professional141
Intra-company transferee132
Long-term resident99
Business manager77
Skilled labour69
Technical Intern Trainee60
Designated activities54
Professor52
Other153
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 2010 2015 2020 2025 Female 5,756 Male 6,510

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
3,779
Kanagawa
Kanto
1,505
Chiba
Kanto
925
Osaka
Kansai
819
Saitama
Kanto
697
Aichi
Chubu
431
Hokkaido
Hokkaido
359
Hyogo
Kansai
308
Kyoto
Kansai
307
Fukuoka
Kyushu
274
Bottom 10
Miyazaki
Kyushu
11
Kochi
Shikoku
14
Tottori
Chugoku
20
Shimane
Chugoku
23
Aomori
Tohoku
26
Tokushima
Shikoku
27
Saga
Kyushu
29
Nagasaki
Kyushu
30
Ehime
Shikoku
31
Iwate
Tohoku
32

Prefecture Growth, 2015 to 2025

Absolute change in Malaysian residents over the past decade
Largest increase
Tokyo
Kanto
+1301
Kanagawa
Kanto
+511
Chiba
Kanto
+372
Osaka
Kansai
+313
Hokkaido
Hokkaido
+188
Largest decrease
Tokushima
Shikoku
-31
Okayama
Chugoku
-29
Miyagi
Tohoku
-28
Aomori
Tohoku
-23
Niigata
Chubu
-15
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 2010 2015 2020 2025 Tokyo Kanagawa Chiba Osaka Saitama Aichi Hokkaido Hyogo

Fun Fact

Malaysia’s Look East Policy has sent more than 16,000 students to study in Japan since 1982.
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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