70% of foreign residents in Japan live and work near the three largest economic centers of the country; Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.
There are many factors that can influence your choice when deciding where to live in the delightful country of Japan; one may be the number of foreigners already living in that area. More foreigners can indicate a more open and accepting community with institutions already in place to help newcomers learn the Japanese ropes.
1. Tokyo
Tokyo, of course, has the largest number of foreigners in Japan, with an estimated 567,789 people from other countries calling the prefecture home. The majority of these expats work in the offices and factories of international companies, diplomatic roles, or education. The bulk of these groups live in neighborhoods around Minato-ku and Shibuya-ku. These are near the embassies, so the local business and institutions are used to dealing with an international clientele and usually offer assistance in English.
Tokyo’s neighbors host a lot of foreign workers as well, with an estimated 218,946 living in Kanagawa, 156,058 in Chiba, and 180,762 in Saitama. Many of these people commute to Tokyo for work or in their free time, making the foreign population of Tokyo seem larger than it is. The capital city of any country is, of course, always international, with tourists, artists, students, and various other travelers going in and out of it every day.
2. Aichi
The second-largest concentration of foreigners in Japan are located in Aichi prefecture. The estimated population is 260,952, mostly concentrated around the windy city of Nagoya. This area is very welcoming to foreign residents, with a variety of associations equipped to help them integrate into Japanese society. Aichi international plaza provides residents with multilingual consultation services. There is also Nagoya International Center (NIC), a non-profit that is ready to assist any foreigner having issues in their new country.
3. Osaka
Osaka prefecture is a haven for foreign residents, often thought of as the most friendly, outgoing and tolerant part of Japan. It’s no surprise that an estimated 239,113 have flocked here. Ikuno Ward is the most popular area with foreigners. One in four residents of Ikuno ward are not Japanese citizens. Other popular Osaka wards for non-Japanese people include Hirano, Nishinari, Chuo, and Naniwa.
These three regions are bursting with diversity and locals ready to forge new bonds with exciting and different people. They all have massive business hubs and international schools that attract thousands of new residents every year. But these are not the only areas in Japan where you will find large foreign populations.
Summary
The number of foreign residents across Japan now makes up over 2% of the overall population. This may not sound like much, but with the help of the internet, more and more foreigners are finding each other. Wherever you decide to live in Japan, there will always be an international community to mingle with. Each and every prefecture has foreign people teaching, working in businesses, or just living their lives as fully integrated residents.
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Sources Stats Japan, Nippon, All Japan Relocation, Japan Times, City of Osaka, World Population Review, Real Estate Japan
About the author:
Alfie Blincowe is a writer from England who fell in love with Southern Japan.
You can read more of his articles about the country here: https://alfieblincowe.wordpress.com/
