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Japan Net Migration Rate (1960–2025)

Net migration rate in Japan stood at 140,579 persons in 2025, according to World Bank. The latest value is down 8.3% from 153,357 persons in 2024. Ten years earlier, in 2015, the value was 168,896 persons (down 17% since). The highest value since 1960 was 322,564 persons in 2017, the lowest -288,550 persons in 1982. Japan ranked 10th highest of the 217 countries in this dataset in 2025; Ukraine ranked first.

Data source: World Bank · Unit: persons · Category: Demographics · Explore more indicators on EconDash

Data updated:Last checked:Frequency:AnnualCoverage:1960–2025
Metadata for Net migration rate in Japan
IndicatorNet migration rate
CountryJapan
CategoryDemographics
Unitpersons
SourceWorld Bank
Interactive chartView on EconDash
API accessEconDash API documentation

Latest value: 140,579 persons (2025)

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Source:World Bank — series SM.POP.NETM
License:CC BY 4.0
Cite this chart
APA

World Bank. (2026). Net migration rate — Japan [Data set]. Retrieved November 13, 2026, from EconDash: https://econdash.org/chart/net-migration-rate/JPN. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SM.POP.NETM?locations=JP

MLA

World Bank. "Net migration rate — Japan." EconDash, 2026, https://econdash.org/chart/net-migration-rate/JPN. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SM.POP.NETM?locations=JP.

Chicago

World Bank. 2026. "Net migration rate — Japan." EconDash. Accessed November 13, 2026. https://econdash.org/chart/net-migration-rate/JPN. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SM.POP.NETM?locations=JP.

BibTeX
@misc{econdash_net_migration_rate_jpn,
  author = {{World Bank}},
  title = {{Net migration rate --- Japan}},
  howpublished = {EconDash},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://econdash.org/chart/net-migration-rate/JPN},
  note = {Accessed: 2026-11-13. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SM.POP.NETM?locations=JP}
}

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the net migration into Japan?

According to official World Bank data (indicator SM.POP.NETM), net migration into Japan was +140,579 persons in 2025, compared to +153,357 persons in 2024 (-8.3% YoY). Japan has maintained positive net migration in every year since 2012, with the exception of 2021 when border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic caused a net outflow.

Where does Japan rank globally in net migration?

In 2025, Japan ranked 10th globally out of 217 countries and territories with +140,579 net migrants. Within East Asia, Japan ranks 1st, well ahead of South Korea (+65,731, rank 20) and China (-268,126 net outflow, rank 210). Among G7 economies, Japan ranks 4th behind the United States (+1,230,663), the United Kingdom (+389,911), and Canada (+326,204), and ahead of France (+91,737), Italy (+75,448), and Germany (-334,072).

How has Japan's net migration trended historically?

Japan was a net emigration nation in the early 1960s (-150,371 persons in 1960). Between 2016 and 2019, net annual migration was 314,732 to 322,564 persons following labor visa reforms. It dropped sharply to +42,001 in 2020 and turned negative at -34,996 in 2021 due to pandemic travel restrictions, before rebounding to +175,003 in 2022 and stabilizing at +140,000 to +153,000 in 2024–2025.

Does positive net migration offset Japan's population decline?

While positive net migration adds approximately 140,000 to 175,000 people annually, it does not fully offset Japan's natural population decline. The UN World Population Prospects 2024 estimated Japan's median age at 48.96 years in 2023, with Monaco higher at 54.36. In 2024 the World Bank recorded a fertility rate of 1.15 children per woman, a crude death rate of 13.3 per 1,000 and a birth rate of 5.7 per 1,000, so the natural decrease was 7.6 per 1,000 people.