The number of foreign residents in Japan reached a record high at the end of 2018 partly due to a sharp increase in students and technical interns from Vietnam, according to data of the Japanese Ministry of Justice.

Vietnamese people in Japan. 

As of December 31, 2018, there were 2,731,093 foreigners residing in Japan, up 6.6% on year, including 330,835 Vietnamese residents, marking an on-year rise of 26%, the Asahi Shimbun reported, citing the ministry. 

The record number of foreign residents in Japan was reported for the fourth straight year. Those in Japan for study hit 337,000, up 8% on year, while technical interns were 328,360, up 8% from a year earlier. Of the technical interns, Vietnamese numbered 164,499, up 30% on year. 

According to the ministry, more Vietnamese people seek to learn and work in Japan resulted from a rapidly developing Vietnam which is partly thanks to contributions of Japanese companies there.

Number of foreigners in Japan. Photo: Asahi Shimbun

Currently, the Vietnamese community in Japan ranks third behind China with 764,720 and South Korea with 449,634. 

The number of illegal foreigners in Japan was more than 74,000, marking an increase in overstayers for five consecutive years. Undocumented Vietnamese in Japan were about 11,000, ranking second behind the South Korean community with 12,766. Chinese ranked third with more than 10,000.

Hanoitimes