Migration history
Prior to World War II, some Burmese students studied in Japan; these nationalist-oriented students became the core of the Burmese Independence Army set up by the Japanese prior to their invasion of Burma. [5] During the Japanese occupation of Burma, Japan continued to provide scholarships for Burmese students to study in Japan. [6] Since the 1990s, a new wave of Burmese migrants have come to Japan. Many are residing in the country illegally. Among their numbers are hundreds of activists who had been active in Burmese democracy movements. Initially, the Japanese government refused to recognise any of them as refugees; however, their policy softened after 1998. By August 2006, the government had recognised 116 Burmese in Japan as refugees, and given special stay permission to another 139. These comprised almost all of the official refugees in Japan, with the exception of a few Afghans and Kurds. [7] In August 2010, the Japanese government agreed to accept for resettlement in Japan five families of Karen refugees from Myanmar, numbering 27 people; an additional family of five people chose to decline resettlement in Japan due to the country's high cost of living. The refugees had formerly been living at the Mera refugee camp in Thailand, and had been taking resettlement classes held by the International Organization for Migration. [8]
Burmese migrants in Japan are required to pay a monthly tax of ¥10,000 to the Burmese embassy for a single person, or ¥18,000 for a married couple. The embassy refuses to issue travel documents to those who do not pay this tax; illegal immigrants or overstayers cannot be deported back to Burma, and are stuck in immigration detention centres in Japan. Furthermore, 15 elderly or terminally ill Burmese died in Japan in 2002 due to the lack of funds to pay the back taxes and return home. [9]
The first Burmese political organisation founded in Japan was the Burma Association in Japan, established in 1988. Others quickly followed in the 1990s, including the Burma Youth Volunteer Association, 8888 Association (a reference to the 8888 Uprising), Democratic Burmese Students Organization, Students Organization for Liberation of Burma, Burma Women's Union, Burma Rohingya Association in Japan, and a branch of the National League for Democracy-Liberated Areas. [7] In 2000, a number of Burmese dissident groups in Japan, including the Burmese Association in Japan, the Burma Youth Volunteer Association, the Students Organization for Liberation of Burma, merged to form a single organisation, the League for Democracy in Burma. [10]
Due to the Japanese government's limited assistance to refugees, Japanese voluntary civil society organisations have played a large role in providing aid to Burmese migrants, especially in the field of health care. [11] Organisations established by Burmese migrants or providing aid to them include the People's Forum on Burma, the Lawyers Group for Burmese Refugees in Japan, and the Federation of Workers' Union of Burmese Citizens in Japan. [9] [12] [13] Burmese associations have a strong base of support among mainstream Japanese; the umbrella organisation Burma Office in Japan is especially close to RENGO (the Japanese Confederation of Trade Unions), which provides them with financial support. [14]
Burmese in Japan are also organised in non-political associations and activities. Ahhara, the first Burmese library in Japan, was established in Itabashi, Tokyo in 2000, with the aim of collecting hard-to-obtain books and historical writings. Its name means "Food for Thought" in Burmese. In 2004, the library was moved to Shinjuku to be more conveniently accessible to the Burmese community; its name was also changed to Moe Thauk Kye, which means "Morning Star". [15] The library is staffed by 14 volunteers. [16] Burmese living in Tokyo organise a Thingyan (Burmese New Year Water Festival) celebration, which draws about 5,000 participants annually. [14]
There are a few hundred Rohingyas in Tatebayashi, Gunma. [17]
Filipinos in Japan formed a population of 332,293 in June 2024 individuals, making them Japan's fourth-largest foreign community, according to the statistics of the Philippines. Their population reached as high as 245,518 in 1998, but fell to 144,871 individuals in 2000 before beginning to recover slightly when Japan cracked down on human trafficking. In 2006, Japanese/Filipino marriages were the most frequent of all international marriages in Japan. As of 2016, the Filipino population in Japan was 237,103 according to the Ministry of Justice. Filipinos in Japan formed a population of 325,000 individuals at year-end 2020, making them Japan's third-largest foreign community along with Vietnamese, according to the statistics of the Philippine Global National Inquirer and the Ministry of Justice. In December 2021, the number of Filipinos in Japan was estimated at 276,615.
Turks in Japan are Turks living in Japan. Historically, the term has included Turkic émigrés and immigrants from former Russian Empire, most of whom later acquired Turkish citizenship.
Iranians in Japan are a minority group, with official statistics recording about 5,000 Iranian migrants in the country. Part of the Iranian diaspora, most live in the Greater Tokyo Area.
Indonesians in Japan form Japan's largest immigrant group from a Muslim-majority country. As of June 2024, Japanese government figures recorded 173,813 legal residents of Indonesian nationality.
There is a small community of Mongolians in Japan, representing a minor portion of emigration from Mongolia. As of June 2024, there were 20,416 registered Mongolian citizens residing in Japan, according to the Immigration Services Agency, up from 2,545 in 2003.
Vietnamese people in Japan form Japan's second-largest community of foreign residents ahead of Koreans in Japan and behind Chinese in Japan, according to the statistics of the Ministry of Justice. In June 2024, there were 600,348 legally resident. Whereas, in 2007, there were only about 35,000 Vietnamese legally living in Japan. At that time, the majority of Vietnamese legal residents lived in the Kantō region and Keihanshin area.
Americans in Japan are citizens of the United States residing in Japan. As of December 2023, there were 63,408 American citizens registered as foreign residents of Japan, forming 2.0% of the total population of registered aliens, according to statistics from Japan's Ministry of Justice. This made Americans the ninth-largest group of foreign residents in Japan, having been surpassed in number by Vietnamese residents, Nepalese residents, Indonesian residents, and Burmese residents since 2011.
Bangladeshis in Japan form one of the smaller populations of foreigners in Japan. As of in June 2023, Japan's Ministry of Justice recorded 24,940 Bangladeshi nationals among the total population of registered foreigners in Japan.
Pakistanis in Japan form the country's third-largest community of immigrants from a Muslim-majority country, trailing only the Indonesian community and Bangladeshi community. As of December 2023, official statistics showed 25,334 registered foreigners of Pakistani origin living in the country. There were a further estimated 3,414 illegal immigrants from Pakistan in Japan as of 2000. The average increase in the Pakistani population is about 2-3 persons per day.
Japan–Nepal relations are bilateral relations between Japan and the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on 28 September 1956. Japan has an embassy in Kathmandu, and Nepal has an embassy in Tokyo.
There are in December 2023 49,114 Peruvians in Japan. The majority of them are descendants of earlier Japanese immigrants to Peru who have repatriated to Japan.
Tōru Ohno was a Japanese scholar of Burmese. He was an emeritus professor at the Osaka University of Foreign Studies, where he served for many years as chairman of the Burmese department. Graduated from the same university with major in Burmese language. He taught at Osaka University of Foreign Studies from 1965 to 2001 starting his career as an assistant professor.
Nepalis in Japan consist of migrants from Nepal to Japan, including temporary expatriates and permanent residents, as well as their locally born descendants. As of June 2024, there are about 206,898 Nepalis living in Japan, which makes them the largest South Asian community in the country.
Kurds in Japan refers to Kurds residing in Japan. Kurds do not have a majority nation state and live in Kurdistan, a region that includes Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq in the Middle East and South Caucasus.
Nigerians in Japan form a significant immigrant community. There are around 3,954 Nigerians living in the country. They mostly belong to the Nigerian Union in Japan, which is divided into sub-unions based on states of origin. The vast majority of Nigerians arrived in Japan from the mid-1980s onwards.
Britons in Japan make up the 19th largest foreign resident communities in Japan. The United Kingdom is the third largest source of foreign residents outside Asia, following Brazil and the United States.
Thais in Japan consist of Thai migrants that come to Japan, as well as their descendants. In June 2024, there were 63,689 Thais living in Japan.
Sri Lankans in Japan consist of Sri Lankan migrants that come to Japan, as well as their descendants. In June 2024, there were 56,179 Sri Lankans living in Japan. They are the fourth largest nationality group from South Asia after Myanmar, Nepalis and Indians.
Cambodians in Japan consist of ethnic Khmer people that were born in or have immigrated to Japan. As of June 2024, there were 25,384 Cambodians living in Japan.
Italians in Japan consists of Italian migrants that come to Japan, as well as the descendants. In December 2023, there were 5,243 Italians living in Japan.
