Asylum applications and refugees in Japan

Incoming asylum applications in Japan 2000 to 2021

The top line represents the total number of asylum applications (first applications + reviews). Below are the number of recognized refugees (green) and rejected applications (red).

Asylum applications from foreign refugees in Japan

The total number of initial and continuing applications refers to the year 2021. Please note that the number of decisions (acceptances or rejections) does not have to add up with the number of applications because there may still have been open cases from previous years. Also, they don't have to be closed within the same calendar year. In addition, asylum procedures can also be closed, if the applicant disappeared or withdrew the application.

Asylum applications of refugees from Japan

Japan is one of the countries where refugees are not only coming in. In the year 2021, there have been 20 asylum applications received from citizens from Japan in other countries. The most successful have been the applications in the United States.

National migrant stock from 1960 to 2020

In 2020 a total of 2,770,996 migrants lived in Japan, representing about 4 percent of the total population. These are all residents who live permanently in the country but were born in another country. The numbers includes granted refugees but no asylum seekers. The data are based on the results of censuses, as well as on estimates and projections from the United Nations Population Division. (Values of the graph in millions of immigrants)