Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Japan
Japan: Refugee population by country or territory of asylum was 42,450 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Japan, 1977–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Japan is 42,450, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 46.0% on the previous year and up 1,612.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Japan peaked at 42,450 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 600, in 1977.
That places Japan 66th out of 183 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 600 | — |
| 1978 | 610 | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 1,260 | +106.6% |
| 1980 | 2,390 | +89.7% |
| 1981 | 2,520 | +5.4% |
| 1982 | 4,390 | +74.2% |
| 1983 | 4,900 | +11.6% |
| 1984 | 3,967 | -19.0% |
| 1985 | 4,707 | +18.7% |
| 1986 | 5,016 | +6.6% |
| 1987 | 5,601 | +11.7% |
| 1988 | 6,110 | +9.1% |
| 1989 | 6,479 | +6.0% |
| 1990 | 6,819 | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 6,397 | -6.2% |
| 1992 | 6,669 | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 6,495 | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 5,942 | -8.5% |
| 1995 | 5,432 | -8.6% |
| 1996 | 5,278 | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 4,846 | -8.2% |
| 1998 | 4,483 | -7.5% |
| 1999 | 4,233 | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 3,752 | -11.4% |
| 2001 | 3,198 | -14.8% |
| 2002 | 2,658 | -16.9% |
| 2003 | 2,266 | -14.7% |
| 2004 | 1,967 | -13.2% |
| 2005 | 1,940 | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 1,842 | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 1,792 | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 2,016 | +12.5% |
| 2009 | 2,331 | +15.6% |
| 2010 | 2,583 | +10.8% |
| 2011 | 2,645 | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 2,579 | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 2,586 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 2,562 | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 2,479 | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 2,512 | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 2,189 | -12.9% |
| 2018 | 1,893 | -13.5% |
| 2019 | 1,463 | -22.7% |
| 2020 | 1,132 | -22.6% |
| 2021 | 1,508 | +33.2% |
| 2022 | 15,451 | +924.6% |
| 2023 | 22,335 | +44.6% |
| 2024 | 29,068 | +30.1% |
| 2025 | 42,450 | +46.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 42,450 is above the median for high income countries, which is 11,811, 3.6× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Japan's 42,450 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 51.5, 824.3× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +924.6% | 1,508 | 15,451 |
| 1979 | +106.6% | 610 | 1,260 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 823.33 | 600 | 1,260 | 3 |
| 1980s | 4,608 | 2,390 | 6,479 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5,659 | 4,233 | 6,819 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,376 | 1,792 | 3,752 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,349 | 1,463 | 2,645 | 10 |
| 2020s | 18,657 | 1,132 | 42,450 | 6 |
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)
- Population growth rate -0.501 (2100)
- Population density 210.83 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.83 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Japan?
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Japan was 42,450 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugee population by country or territory of asylum recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 42,450 in 2025.
- What is the lowest refugee population by country or territory of asylum recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 600 in 1977.
- How does Japan rank for refugee population by country or territory of asylum?
- Japan ranks 66th out of 183 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugee population by country or territory of asylum rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,612.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Refugee population by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).