SAPPORO -- The top five countries of foreign nationals living in Japan have remained unchanged for over the past decade, but will likely change soon as Nepal is set to move ahead of Brazil, with the number of residents from the South Asian country surging to 206,898 as of June 2024.

According to the Immigration Services Agency statistics, the Nepali population in Japan has been growing by 30,000 to 50,000 people annually since 2022. Meanwhile, the number of Brazilian nationals has been increasing by around 2,000 to 5,000 people per year, with the number standing at 212,325 in June 2024. At this rate, Nepal is expected to surpass Brazil, which currently holds fifth spot, in the survey for the second half of 2024 or the first half of 2025.

As of June 2024, the largest foreign population in Japan is from China, with 844,187 people, followed by Vietnam, South Korea and the Philippines. The top five countries, including Brazil, have remained the same since 2012.

The Embassy of Nepal in Japan says the Nepalese people reside throughout the country, with many working at restaurants. Furthermore, there is a notable increase in the number of Nepali students.

According to Japan Student Services Organization data, the number of Nepali students has grown more than elevenfold in 10 years, from 3,188 in 2013 to 37,878 in 2023. This surpasses the 36,339 students from Vietnam and 14,946 students from South Korea, making Nepal the second-largest foreign student population in Japan after China with 115,493 pupils.

Nepali Ambassador to Japan Durga Bahadur Subedi told the Mainichi Shimbun that the increase in Nepali nationals living in Japan can be attributed to better employment and educational opportunities as well as cultural similarities. He stated, "The relationship between the two countries, both at the government and private levels, is excellent."

According to Tomoyuki Ota, an associate professor of international cooperation theory at the Japan University of Economics, many Nepali workers previously migrated to Malaysia and the Middle East, but more people began choosing Japan due to higher wages after the COVID-19 pandemic. Japanese language schools in the country have also started focusing on getting students from Nepal, and Nepali students make up the majority of the student body in some schools in southwest Japan's Kyushu region.

Ota also pointed out that Japanese businesses' strong focus on hiring full-time employees compared to other countries appeals to Nepalis. He concluded, "The goals of Japanese language schools and the aspirations of the Nepali people align, and I believe the number of Nepali nationals in Japan will continue to rise."

(Japanese original by Hiroyuki Katano, Hokkaido News Department)