This research brief examines how international migration to Japan was transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic, situating these changes within pre-pandemic demographic and migratory trends.

Drawing on national demographic statistics and immigration data, the brief shows that Japan already experiencing long-term population decline, had come to rely increasingly on foreign migrants, particularly young workers, students, and technical intern trainees from countries such as Vietnam, Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines. However, Japan’s stringent and prolonged entry restrictions during COVID-19 drastically reduced new arrivals, with students and technical trainees experiencing declines of 75–80 percent. The effects varied regionally, with non-metropolitan prefectures experiencing the largest losses.

Access: open

Author: Masataka Nakagawa

Affiliation: National Institute of Population and Social Security Research

Date: 14/02/2023

Language: English

Country: Japan