Foreign population in 10 Japan prefectures more than doubles in decade

FILE PHOTO: The first TSMC plant is seen in Kikuyo, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Feb. 8, 2024. Foreigners are rapidly moving into such areas in a bid to ease labour shortages. - Yomiuri Shimbun

TOKYO: The population of non-Japanese residents in 10 prefectures has more than doubled over the past decade, underscoring that foreigners are rapidly moving into such areas in a bid to ease labour shortages, according to data compiled by Kyodo News Agency and released on Saturday (Nov 22).

Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu, Japan's south-western main island, saw the highest rise in foreign residents, as its population more than tripled in size. Hokkaido, Okinawa and two other prefectures in Kyushu made up the top five.