Japan balances record arrivals with stricter immigration checks

Japan’s stricter immigration controls are showing results, with the number of overstayers declining for the second straight year even as foreign arrivals reached record levels in 2025, according to government data, The Japan Times reported. Foreign arrivals crossed 42.4 million in 2025, the first time the figure has exceeded 40 million. At the same time, the number of foreign residents rose to a record 4.13 million, data from the Immigration Services Agency showed.

The trend follows the rollout of a government initiative in May 2025 aimed at reducing illegal overstays, according to a report by The Japan Times. The programme, known as the “Zero Illegal Foreign Residents Plan for the Safety and Security of People in Japan,” focuses on stricter screening, faster asylum processing and increased deportations.

Overstayers decline, enforcement rises

Early data indicates a drop in overstayers to 68,488 as of January 1, down by 6,375 from a year earlier, as reported by The Japan Times. Authorities initiated immigration violation procedures against 18,442 individuals in 2025, with 13,435, or 72.9%, found to be working illegally.


A total of 17,352 individuals were deported or left Japan under departure orders. While overall deportations fell slightly by 1.8%, government-funded deportations with escorts rose 27.7% to 318 cases, the highest on record.

Authorities also increased the use of exceptions to deportation suspensions, applying them in 59 cases, a rise of 210.5% compared to the previous year. These included repeat asylum applicants and individuals with criminal records.

Revocation of residence status also increased, with 1,446 cases recorded in 2025, up by 262. Most cases involved technical trainees and students, with Vietnamese nationals accounting for the largest share.

Asylum rules tighten, arrivals surge

Border enforcement has intensified, with 8,546 foreign nationals denied entry in 2025, an increase of 667 from a year earlier. In most cases, authorities cited concerns over the declared purpose of entry.

At the same time, inbound travel continued to rise sharply. Visitors from South Korea, China and Taiwan accounted for the largest share of arrivals, with short-term visitors making up more than 38 million entries.

Changes to asylum procedures are also affecting application trends. Refugee applications fell to 11,298 in 2025, down by over 1,075 from the previous year.

The number of cases classified as not meeting the definition of persecution under the Refugee Convention rose sharply to 1,615 from 80 a year earlier. Applicants in this category are not automatically allowed to stay or work during processing.

Authorities processed 9,397 asylum cases in 2025, up from 5,293 a year earlier, while the average processing time remained at 22.5 months. Japan granted refugee status to 187 individuals, while 474 received complementary protection and 525 were allowed to stay on humanitarian grounds.

The government aims to reduce asylum processing times to six months by 2030 and eliminate illegal overstayers, even as it continues to manage rising foreign arrivals and labour needs.