Refugees by country of asylum in Japan
Japan: Refugees by country of asylum was 29,068 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Japan, 1977–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees by country of asylum in Japan is 29,068 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 30.1% on the previous year and up 1,034.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Japan peaked at 29,068 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 600 people, in 1977.
That places Japan 75th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Japan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 600 people | — |
| 1978 | 610 people | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 1,260 people | +106.6% |
| 1980 | 2,390 people | +89.7% |
| 1981 | 2,520 people | +5.4% |
| 1982 | 4,390 people | +74.2% |
| 1983 | 4,900 people | +11.6% |
| 1984 | 3,967 people | -19.0% |
| 1985 | 4,707 people | +18.7% |
| 1986 | 5,016 people | +6.6% |
| 1987 | 5,601 people | +11.7% |
| 1988 | 6,110 people | +9.1% |
| 1989 | 6,479 people | +6.0% |
| 1990 | 6,819 people | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 6,397 people | -6.2% |
| 1992 | 6,669 people | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 6,495 people | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 5,942 people | -8.5% |
| 1995 | 5,432 people | -8.6% |
| 1996 | 5,278 people | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 4,846 people | -8.2% |
| 1998 | 4,483 people | -7.5% |
| 1999 | 4,233 people | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 3,752 people | -11.4% |
| 2001 | 3,198 people | -14.8% |
| 2002 | 2,658 people | -16.9% |
| 2003 | 2,266 people | -14.7% |
| 2004 | 1,967 people | -13.2% |
| 2005 | 1,940 people | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 1,842 people | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 1,792 people | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 2,016 people | +12.5% |
| 2009 | 2,331 people | +15.6% |
| 2010 | 2,583 people | +10.8% |
| 2011 | 2,645 people | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 2,579 people | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 2,586 people | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 2,562 people | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 2,479 people | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 2,512 people | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 2,189 people | -12.9% |
| 2018 | 1,893 people | -13.5% |
| 2019 | 1,463 people | -22.7% |
| 2020 | 1,132 people | -22.6% |
| 2021 | 1,508 people | +33.2% |
| 2022 | 15,451 people | +924.6% |
| 2023 | 22,335 people | +44.6% |
| 2024 | 29,068 people | +30.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 823.33 people | 600 people | 1,260 people | 3 |
| 1980s | 4,608 people | 2,390 people | 6,479 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 5,659 people | 4,233 people | 6,819 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,376 people | 1,792 people | 3,752 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,349 people | 1,463 people | 2,645 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 13,899 people | 1,132 people | 29,068 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More population data for Japan
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -5.09 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 103,784 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.5891 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2372 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 210.83 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.83 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Japan?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Japan was 29,068 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 29,068 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 600 people in 1977.
- How does Japan rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Japan ranks 75th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,034.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.