Immigration of foreign workers to Japan surpassed 2.3 million in 2024 amid a significant need for foreign workers due to the ageing population in the Asian country, according to a report released by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

The report noted that the number of foreign workers in Japan was 2,302,587 as of the end of October last year, which is a 253,912 (12.5 per cent) increase from the previous year, setting a new record for the 12th consecutive year since 2013.

According to the World Economic Forum, Japan has the highest share of people aged 65 and older, which stood at 29.9 per cent in 2022 and has contributed to the country’s high demand for foreign workers.

In the report, Vietnam accounted for the country with the highest share of foreign workers in Japan, with 570,708 people, which is almost a quarter of the total number of foreign workers. China, followed by 408,805 workers in Japan, and the Philippines, is far third with 245,565 people.

Meanwhile, in terms of the rate of increase from the previous year, the largest were Myanmar at 61 per cent, Indonesia at 39.5 per cent, and Sri Lanka at 33.7 per cent.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said that the increased numbers of foreign workers was caused by shortages of labour in various sectors, especially medical and construction industries.

“The increase in foreign workers appears to be due to factors such as labour shortages,” it said. “The rate of increase has been particularly high in the medical and welfare, and construction industries.”