■しかく The survey was conducted to determine the circumstances of foreign residents and issues they face in professional, daily, and social lives as accurately as
possible, as part of efforts to plan and formulate policies to facilitate coexistence with foreign residents. This was the fourth survey of its kind, following the third
one conducted in FY2022.
■しかく In addition to asking foreign residents about the challenges they faced when seeking help for issues in their daily lives, this survey asked institutions accepting
foreigners (simply "institutions") (foreigners who are registered with or employed by their institutions are called "foreign members") about what they found difficult in
helping their foreign members, focusing on institutions’ response to requests for help from their foreign members.
■しかく The FY2023 Expert Committee Meeting for a Basic Survey on Foreign Residents was held to broaden the scope of the survey, and experts familiar with
assimilation policies were invited to participate in determining the survey items and compiling survey results in order to leverage their expertise, high-level insights,
and broader perspectives.
⇒ The government will use the survey results to help plan, draft, and implement coexistence measures for foreign residents to enhance the Roadmap for the
Realization of a Society of Harmonious Coexistence with Foreign Nationals and Comprehensive Measures for Acceptance and Coexistence of
Foreign Nationals as part of initiatives to build a society of harmonious coexistence with foreign nationals.
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Survey Overview—
Survey Purpose, etc.
Survey targets
■しかく A total of 20,000 medium- to long-term residents and special permanent residents aged 18 or older
* Limited to those who had been physically present in Japan for at least one year from the date of their most recent landing permit by August 15, 2023
* Respondents were randomly selected based on the sample sizes by nationality/region and by status of residence that were determined based on the
Statistics on Foreign Residents (as of the end of December 2022).
Number of valid
responses
■しかく Number of letters sent: 20,000 (410 of which were undeliverable) ■しかく Valid responses: 6,154 Response rate: 31.4%
Survey method
■しかく A web-based survey (a letter requesting cooperation and including a two-dimensional code was mailed to survey targets, who were asked to scan the
code and then respond to the online questionnaire)
■しかく The online questionnaire was provided in eight languages (simplified Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Filipino, and
Nepali).
Survey items
■しかく The survey asked foreign residents about the challenges they faced when seeking help for issues they encounter in their daily lives and others,
including the following:
Who they want to consult when they have worries; what is desirable in a place of contact, etc.; what is desirable in personnel providing consultations;
problem-solving status when a foreign resident consults family members, relatives, friends, or acquaintances; problem-solving status when a foreign
resident consults the institution they belong to; and whether a foreign resident wishes his/her institution, etc. to have personnel who handle
consultations
■しかく Questions identical to those in the National Survey for Ascertaining People’s Loneliness and Social Isolation (2022) (Cabinet Secretariat) (sent to
20,000 individuals aged 16 or older nationwide) were asked to gauge the current level of loneliness among foreign residents in Japan.1Survey Overview
Foreign residents
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Survey Overview—
Survey targets
■しかく A total of 1,000 institutions that accept foreign nationals
* Including institutions directly employing foreign nationals, educational institutions accepting international students, and supervising institutions
and registered support institutions for foreign technical trainees
* Including corporations and independent business proprietors
* The Agency randomly selected foreign residents who were registered with or employed by institutions based on the sample sizes by
nationality/region and by status of residence that were determined based on the Statistics on Foreign Residents (as of the end of December
2022). This survey targeted their institutions.
Number of valid
responses
■しかく Number of letters sent: 1,000 (22 of which were undeliverable) ■しかく Valid responses: 555 Response rate: 56.7%
Survey method
■しかく A web-based survey (a letter requesting cooperation and including a two-dimensional code was mailed to survey targets, who were asked to
scan the code and then respond to the online questionnaire)
Survey items
■しかく The survey asked institutions about the difficulties they faced when helping their foreign members and other issues including the following:
The frequency of requests for help from their foreign members; the issues experienced by their foreign members; their responses to the issues
experienced by their foreign members; the difficulties they face in helping their foreign members; how to submit their requests related to helping
their foreign members; knowledge or skills necessary for helping their foreign members; whether they want to participate in foreigner support
training; what is important in foreigner support training; their assignment and development of support staff for foreign members; what they
expect from public institutions when employing support staff; refresher training for support staff; whether they want to hire support coordinators
for foreign residents and train their employees to acquire the qualifications; and opinions and requests2Survey period and points to note
Institutions
Survey period ■しかく October 2 to October 20, 2023
Points to note
■しかく The results of this survey merely comprise a compilation of the responses to the questionnaire. Since some results may not accurately
represent the views of the entire group of respondents due to the low number of responses, caution is advised when interpreting these results.
■しかく The figures have been rounded. For this reason, the total of percentages for some responses may not equal 100.0%, or the figures shown in
some charts may be different from those stated in the summary.
■しかく In some questions, survey items for foreign residents are parallel to those for institutions. For some of these survey items, the "survey on
institutions" section provides graphs comparing their responses.
Survey on Foreign Residents
3 years or more, but less
than 10 years 37.9%
(2,331 persons)
10 years or more, but less
than 20 years 19.1%
(1,177 persons)
1 year or more, but less
than 3 years 17.8% (1,097
persons)
20 years or more, but
less than 30 years 13.5%
(829 persons)
30 years or more, but less
than 40 years 5.5% (340
persons)
Since I was born 4.5%
(274 persons)
40 years or more 1.3%
(81 persons)
Less than 1 year 0.4%
(25 persons)
Permanent
Resident 28.6%
(1,757 persons)
Engineer,
Specialist in
Humanities,
International
Services
13.4%
(824 persons)
Technical
Intern Training
10.5%
(645 persons)
Student 9.8%
(605 persons)
Dependent 8.2%
(505 persons)
Spouse or Child of a
Japanese National6.6%(405 persons)
Long-Term
Resident 6.5%
(402 persons)
Specified Skilled
Worker 4.8%
(296 persons)
Special Permanent
Resident 4.7%
(292 persons)
Designated Activities 1.6%
(96 persons)
Other 5.3%
(327 persons)
China 26.8%
(1,651 persons)
Vietnam
16.9%
(1,038
persons)
Philippines
10.8%
(667 persons)
South Korea8.9%(547 persons)
Brazil 7.3%(451persons)
Indonesia 3.6%
(221 persons)
Nepal 3.2%(195persons)
Taiwan 3.0%
(182 persons)
USA 2.0%
(121 persons)
Thailand 1.8%
(110 persons)
Other 15.7%(965persons)
Unknown0.1%(6 persons)
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Major Results from Foreign Residents (1) (Respondents’ Attributes)—
■しかく The most common nationality of respondents was China (26.8%), followed by Vietnam (16.9%) and the Philippines (10.8%).
■しかく The most common status of residence of respondents was "Permanent Resident" (28.6%), followed by "Engineer, Specialist in Humanities, International Services" (13.4%),
and "Technical Intern Training" (10.5%).
■しかく The most common age group of respondents was "20 to 29" (30.8%), followed by "30 to 39" (29.2%) and "40 to 49" (19.2%).
■しかく The most common total length of residence in Japan was "3 years or more, but less than 10 years" (37.9%), followed by "10 years or more, but less than 20 years" (19.1%)
and "1 year or more, but less than 3 years" (17.8%).
(n=6,154)
(n=6,154)
Permanent
Resident
28.1%
Technical
Intern
Training
10.6%
Engineer,
Specialist in
Humanities,
International
Services
10.1%
Student9.8%Special
Permanent
Resident9.4%Dependent7.4%Long-Term
Resident6.7%Spouse or Child of a
Japanese National4.7%Specified
Skilled Worker4.3%Designated
Activities2.7%Other6.2%Reference: Statistics on Foreign Residents
(As of the end of December 2022)
China
24.8%
Vietnam
15.9%
South
Korea
13.4%
Philippines9.7%Brazil6.8%Nepal4.5%Indonesia3.2%USA2.0%Taiwan1.9%Thailand1.8%Others
16.0%
Reference: Statistics on Foreign Residents
(As of the end of December 2022)
20–29 30.8%
(1,898 persons)
30–39 29.2%
(1,798 persons)
40–49 19.2%
(1,184 persons)
50–59 12.2%
(752 persons)
60–69 5.4%
(334 persons)
70–79 1.4%
(87 persons)
18–19 1.2%
(73 persons)
80 or older0.5%(28
persons)
(n=6,154)
(n=6,154)
Status of residence
Nationality/region Age
Total length of residence in Japan Gender
Female 52.1%
(3,205
persons)
Male 47.6%
(2,927
persons)
Other 0.4%
(22 persons)
(n=6,154)3Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Major Results from Foreign Residents (2) (Person to Consult)—
■しかく The most common person to consult when foreign residents have worries was "Family members and relatives" (92.0%), followed by "Japanese friends and acquaintances"
(65.6%) and "Non-Japanese friends and acquaintances" (60.4%).
■しかく To the question "What is desirable in a place of contact, etc.," many respondents emphasized convenience, because the most common answer was "Consultation is
available in my native language" (39.8%), followed by "Near my home" (39.1%) and "Easy to make an appointment for an interview" (36.3%).
■しかく To the question "What is desirable in personnel providing consultations," many respondents emphasized knowledge about social, legal, and medical systems, as the
majority of respondents chose "Knowledge about taxes, pensions, and various social systems" (61.0%), followed by "Knowledge about the residence status system" (49.3%)
and "Knowledge about medical care or welfare" (40.6%).
* Total of responses
from who to consult
first, second, and
third when they have
worries
What is desirable in personnel providing
consultation
What is desirable in a place of contact, etc.
61.0%
49.3%
40.6%
36.8%
35.5%
26.2%
24.5%
22.5%
21.2%
16.1%
13.5%1.5%6.9%
Knowledge about taxes, pensions, and
various social systems
Knowledge about the residence status
system
Knowledge about medical care or
welfare
Communication skills
Capability to handle your native
language
Knowledge about different cultures or
values
Coordination ability with service
providers
Knowledge about mental care
Knowledge about children's education
Knowledge about childraising
Knowledge about pregnancy or
childbirth
Other
I am not sure
39.8%
39.1%
36.3%
33.0%
28.9%
24.7%
23.3%
23.0%
22.3%
21.0%
16.2%
12.1%
11.0%1.6%8.3%
Consultation is available in my
native language
Near my home
Easy to make an appointment
for an interview
Personnel is able to handle
various types of issues
Has expertise in medical and
legal issues
Consultation is available at
night and on holidays
Spends sufficient time on an
interview
Online (incl. SNS) consultation
is available
Consultation is available on the
phone
Privacy of my spouse, other
family members, and others
around me is protected
Staff accompanies me to
relevant institutions as needed
Offers mental care
I know what kind of personnel
support is available
Other
I am not sure (n=6,154)
74.7%
12.2%5.1%10.6%
34.1%
20.9%8.4%33.6%
18.4%2.9%8.4%
17.9%4.7%14.2%1.5%7.7%1.6%5.7%3.7%1.8%2.6%5.6%1st2nd3rdFamily members and relatives
Japanese friends and acquaintances
Non-Japanese friends and acquaintances
Institution, school, or company, etc. in which I am enrolled
Municipality or prefecture
My country's embassy, etc.
Lawyers or certified administrative procedures legal specialists
Japanese government (FRESC, etc.)
NPO and other private organizations
Other
* The items whose percentage is 1.0% or less are not shown. (n=6,154)
Person to consult when foreign
residents have worries (Ranking)
(n=6,154)
Person to consult when foreign
residents have worries (Total)
92.0%
65.6%
60.4%
29.1%
19.5%9.7%7.6%4.9%1.3%7.3%Family members and relatives
Japanese friends and acquaintances
Non-Japanese friends and acquaintances
Institution, school, or company, etc. in which I am
enrolled
Municipality or prefecture
My country's embassy, etc.
Lawyers or certified administrative procedures
legal specialists
Japanese government (FRESC, etc.)
NPO and other private organizations
Other
(n=6,154)415.3%
13.5%
11.3%7.7%7.4%6.8%5.2%4.0%3.3%3.1%Because accurate communication is
difficult due to language difficulties
Because you have someone outside your
institution, like a family member,
acquaintance, or local government, whom
you can consult
Because you do not know whom in your
institution to consult
Because awareness about your problems
cannot be communicated due to cultural
or value differences
Because you cannot expect your
institution to solve your problem or tell you
of an external place to consult
Because there is no department or place
of contact to consult about your worries
Because by consulting your institution,
you may suffer disadvantage (for
example, your privacy being revealed to
other persons or organizations)
Because you have someone inside your
institution, like a colleague or classmate,
whom you can consult in private
Because your institution is not likely to
give you trustworthy information
Because even if you consult your
institution, it would not respond
(n=1,487)
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Major Results from Foreign Residents (3) (Problem-Solving Status)—
■しかく When foreign residents consulted their family members, etc. (family members, relatives, friends, or acquaintances) about their problems, 80.2% were solved (a total of
"Always solved" and "Often solved").
■しかく When foreign residents consulted their institutions about their problems, 73.9% were solved (a total of "Always solved" and "Often solved").
■しかく The most common reason for not consulting their institutions was "Because accurate communication is difficult due to language difficulties" (15.3%), followed by "Because
you have someone outside your institution, like a family member, acquaintance, or local government, whom you can consult" (13.5%) and "Because you do not know
whom in your institution to consult" (11.3%).
■しかく The proportion of foreign residents who had never consulted their institutions increases with the length of their residence in Japan. About 80% of foreign residents who had
lived in Japan for less than 10 years had consulted their institutions before.5Problem-solving status when a foreign
resident consults his/her family members, etc.
Always
solved
31.1%
Often
solved
49.2%
Not often
solved
16.6%
Rarely solved 3.1%
Always
solved
25.0%
Often
solved
48.9%Notoften
solved
20.3%
Rarely solved 5.8%
Reasons for not consulting his/her institution
* The answer "No problem occurred in particular" accounted
for 64.4%.
* Never
sought
consultation
⇒1,487
persons
Problem-solving status when a foreign
resident consults his/her institution
Percentage of respondents who had never consulted
their institutions (by total length of residence)
Total length of residence in
Japan
Percentage
1st Since birth 51.7%
2nd 30 years or more 36.2%3rd20 years or more, but less than
30 years
32.7%4th10 years or more, but less than
20 years
29.4%5th3 years or more, but less than
10 years
22.1%
6th Less than 3 years 20.3%
Decreasing
Many foreign residents had consulted
their institutions within a few years
after their migration to Japan.
Percentage of the answer "Always solved" when
a foreign resident consulted his/her family
members, etc. (by marriage status)
Spouse
Percentage of the
answer "Always
solved"
Yes (same nationality) 30.9%
Yes (Japanese) 38.0%
Yes (other nationality) 26.9%
Never 26.3%
No (separated or bereaved) 34.7%
(n=6,063) (n=4,087)
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Major Results from Foreign Residents (4) (Content of Consultation and Problems)—
■しかく "Work" accounted for the majority of both issues discussed by foreign residents with their family members, etc. (family members, relatives, friends, or acquaintances) and
issued discussed with their institutions. "Tax" was also a significant concern. They mainly discussed issues like "Human relationships" and "Money matters" with their
family members, etc., while it is notable that the proportion of "Status of residence" was particularly high as an issue discussed with their institutions.
■しかく The most common challenge faced by foreign residents when seeking help from their family members, etc. was "Awareness about your problems cannot be communicated
due to cultural or value differences" (23.7%), followed by "Accurate communication is difficult due to language difficulties" (21.9%). The most common challenge facing
foreign residents when seeking help from their institutions was "Accurate communication is difficult due to language difficulties" (36.1%), followed by "Awareness about
your problems cannot be communicated due to cultural or value differences" (24.7%).
23.7%
21.9%
20.0%8.1%6.4%
49.4%
Awareness about your problems cannot be communicated due to cultural or
value differences
Accurate communication is difficult due to language difficulties
Due to reasons such as the special nature of the issue, the person you
consult does not know how to or which external place to consult about the
problem
Person you consult cannot give you trustworthy information
By consulting the other person, you suffered disadvantage (for example, your
privacy being revealed to other persons or organizations)
No problem occurred in particular
(n=6,063)6Content of consultation
58.6%
36.6%
32.6%
30.9%
29.5%
27.3%
26.9%
26.4%
25.1%
24.8%
22.9%
22.6%
20.3%
19.4%
15.8%
15.0%8.6%7.9%6.4%5.3%3.0%2.0%1.5%1.9%
60.7%
19.5%
35.7%
23.0%
17.9%
27.1%
34.6%
28.3%
17.3%
26.1%
13.8%
11.4%6.9%6.4%
10.6%7.9%4.9%4.3%2.9%3.5%1.9%1.4%1.1%2.3%Work (working conditions, employment,
transfer, etc.)
Human relationshipsTaxMedical care
Money matters
Japanese language study
Status of residence
Insurance
Housing
Pension
Mental health
Children's education
Relatives in home country
Issues about the family
Racial discrimination, equal opportunity,
respect for individuals
Childraising
Disaster
Pregnancy or childbirth
Marriage or divorce
Nursing care
Death (securing a burial plot, etc.)
Political participation
Domestic violence
Other
Family members, etc.
(n=6,063)
Institutions (n=4,087)
Problems upon consulting family members, etc.
Problems upon consulting institutions
36.1%
24.7%
16.5%7.7%6.4%6.1%41.0%
Accurate communication is difficult due to language difficulties
Awareness about your problems cannot be communicated due to cultural or
value differences
Due to reasons such as the special nature of the issue, the person you
consult does not know how to or which external place to consult about the
problem
Your institution cannot give you trustworthy information
By consulting your institution, you suffered disadvantage (for example, your
privacy being revealed to other persons or organizations)
Your institution does not respond even when you seek consultation
No problem occurred in particular
(n=4,087)
56.7%
53.1%
43.7%
39.0%
35.7%
34.6%
32.3%
31.0%
28.4%
25.9%
25.8%
25.8%
24.8%
24.3%
19.6%
12.2%8.4%8.1%8.9%55.7%
56.2%
51.8%
41.6%
36.9%
38.0%
34.1%
33.7%
33.5%
33.3%
27.6%
29.8%
28.5%
26.9%
28.4%
17.9%
16.0%
14.7%9.8%LanguageWorkRacial discrimination, equal
opportunity, respect for individuals
Status of residenceTaxInformation provision
Medical care
Housing
Pension
Education
Insurance
Bank account, credit card, loan
Socializing
Consultation
Childraising
Disaster
Political participation
Death (securing a burial plot, etc.)
Other
Survey in
FY2023
(n=6,154)
Survey in
FY2022
(n=4,977)
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Major Results from Foreign Residents (5) (Loneliness, Opinions, and Requests)—
■しかく For whether foreign residents want support specialists in their institutions, 76.0% of the respondents answered "Yes" or "If anything, yes," while 10.4% answered "No" or "If
anything, no."
■しかく A total of 7.9% of all respondents said they feel lonely "Frequently or always," an increase of 0.4 points from the survey in FY2022. The percentages of those who selected
"Frequently or always" and "Sometimes" are high, compared to the National Survey for Ascertaining People’s Loneliness and Social Isolation (2022) (Cabinet Secretariat)
(targeting 20,000 individuals aged 16 or older nationwide).
■しかく For their opinions and requests, while many answers reflected a decrease in proportion from the survey in FY2022, the proportion of the most common answer, "Language,"
increased (to 56.7%, up by 1.0 point).7Opinions and requests, etc.
Reference: Survey results of the National Survey for Ascertaining People’s Loneliness and Social Isolation
(2022) (Cabinet Secretariat)
Situation of loneliness (how often do you feel lonely?)
Whether a foreign resident wants support specialists in his/her institution
50.9% 25.1%4.1%6.3% 13.5%
Yes If anything, yes If anything, no No Not sure
(n=5,574)7.9%7.5%6.7%22.7%
17.6%
14.9%
25.8%
24.3%
29.5%
21.2%
23.9%
22.7%
22.4%
26.8%
26.1%
Survey in FY2023
(n=6,154)
Survey in FY2022
(n=5,016)
Survey in FY2021
(n=7,982)
Frequently or always Sometimes Occasionally Rarely Never
The answers "Yes" and "If anything, yes" accounted for 76.0%.
Frequently or always Sometimes Occasionally Rarely NeverNoanswer20222021
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Opinions/Requests of Foreign Residents (1) Language, Racial Discrimination, etc.—
Language (3,492)
○しろまる Support for Japanese language learning
・ I would like to see free, systematic, and convenient Japanese language programs become available, such as online night courses or holiday courses. (woman in her 40s)
・ Though a Japanese language class is available to me, it only takes place for an hour and a half per week. I would like to see opportunities to learn Japanese available every day, like
elementary and junior high schools. Ideally, parents would also be provided with sufficient opportunities to learn Japanese. (woman in her 30s)
・ We can solve our problems more easily if could can understand Japanese just like our native languages everywhere in Japan and communicate in local dialects. If classes in local dialects,
law, and culture were available in or near communities of foreigners, we’d be more easily accepted by local communities and be able to study or work more smoothly. (woman in her 20s)
○しろまる Multilingual support
・ Language barriers make it challenging to find necessary information. Despite having lived in Japan for almost 20 years, I still struggle with reading and writing kanji and rely on my husband
for that. I’m a JLPT N1 holder, but I’m still not good at kanji. I wish administrative paperwork were easier for foreign residents. (woman in her 40s)
・ It’d be very helpful if interpreters or other similar support staff were available at hospitals, tax offices, pension offices, social insurance offices, and other places where we encounter technical
terms. They’d answer our questions and prevent future problems. (woman in her 30s)
・ City offices should have English translators. English is crucial for foreign residents who still struggle with understanding Japanese. I would like to see translators available at city offices,
immigration offices, pension offices, and other public service locations. (woman in her 40s)
○しろまる Easy Japanese
・ I hope there will be more use of easy Japanese and education about intercultural cohesion in Japanese society. (man in his 20s)etc.Racial discrimination/equal opportunity/respect for individuals (2,687)
・ It seems like online and other forms of slander are common, though I don’t think they’ll go away anytime soon. I think that these slanderous comments include discriminatory comments
against ordinary Japanese people who are socially disadvantaged. I hope that there will be some kind of action taken to address this issue. (man in his 70s)
・ At a convenience store, for example, when I talk to a store clerk in a way that I usually talk to my family, I sometimes encounter a cold attitude, probably because of my appearance or broken
Japanese. Of course, not all Japanese people discriminate against me. In fact, many Japanese people are kind to me. (woman in her 30s)
・ While I have not experienced any particular racism in Japan, I know some people do. I think even though some Japanese people do not mean to make racist comments, they are not always
very knowledgeable about foreign countries/people and can accidentally do or say things that may make foreigners feel like outsiders. Foreigners may sometimes be denied loans or credit
cards because they are foreign (I‘ve never needed these things, but I have heard from some friends). Foreigners need equal access to these services if they are going to live in Japan.
(woman in her 20s)
・ Foreigners might not be familiar with Japanese unwritten rules. Consequently, when we accidentally break these rules, we face unnecessary discrimination and many inconveniences. I hope
that there will be lots of caution cards that describe these unwritten rules in a friendly manner in multiple languages. (woman in her 30s)
・ I think that differences in culture and views about life cause us great distress. I know that we have to respect Japanese culture and views of life and make every effort to adapt to Japanese
society. Having said that, I sincerely hope that Japanese people will try to understand our cultures and us. While not all of us are as bad as Japanese people may think, some do wrong. I’m
sure they’re wrong. But I still want Japanese people to see us in a positive light and understand that we’re here to work hard, we’re polite like Japanese, we like making friends and accepting
people, and we feel no ill will toward any Japanese people. Please give us a chance to show we’re very attractive people. (woman in her 50s)etc.8
■しかく This survey was conducted to find out "What kinds of support, efforts, and systems are necessary for foreign nationals to lead a better life in Japan?" by asking respondents
to select their responses to questions about "Language," "Work," "Information provision," and others (multiple answers allowed), and then answer additional open-ended
questions. The following are some of the opinions and requests from respondents for each area. (The number next to each area indicates the number of selections of
relevant responses. The opinions and requests were excerpted from 4,679 free answers other than comments such as "nothing in particular" and "thank you for your
understanding." Obvious typographical errors and information that could identify an individual have been corrected, and some opinions and requests provided here are
excerpts. In addition, responses provided in languages other than Japanese have been translated into Japanese.)
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Opinions/Requests of Foreign Residents (2) Work/Information Provision/Status of Residence—
Information provision (2,127)
○しろまる Content of information
・It’d be very helpful if guidance on employment, Japanese law, and obligations and rules related to money is available when we come to Japan, in addition to support services.
(man in his 30s)
・ Thank you for the questionnaire. As I need to get ready for parenting, it’ll be very helpful if support for parenting and education is available. It’d be also very helpful if there
was a list of things we have to understand about tax, pension, and other hard-to-understand systems so that we can see at a glance what we have to do and we can do.
(woman in her 30s)
・ I would like useful information to be available to elderly foreigners who still want to be active in work, events, or other activities in Japan. (woman in her 70s)
・ It’ll be great if, in the near future, foreigners moving to Japan could participate in short programs that focus on Japanese culture and lifestyles in their communities. Japanese
people tend to be quite vague and don’t say what they want directly, which makes it difficult for foreigners to fully understand what they want and sometimes makes us
misunderstand them, especially foreigners not proficient in Japanese. (man in his 20s)
○しろまる Information dissemination methods
・ Many government websites have excellent information, but they can be difficult to navigate because of poor design or heavy use of "legalese." (man in his 30s)
・ There are various information sources (service counters and websites), which I find useful. It’d be even better if general guidance on administrative procedures (for example,
what procedures require a visit to an immigration office or city office) were available. (woman in her 20s)
・ I hope you will make efforts to ensure that more foreign residents are aware that support services for them are available across the country. (woman in her 30s)
・ There should be opportunities for discussions between city offices and local foreign residents. (man in his 30s)etc.Work (3,270)
○しろまる Issues when finding employment
・ I want more employment support because our employment affects our statuses of residence. (woman in her 20s)
・ Japanese society has many hidden rules, which make it particularly challenging to find employment. I would like some support for this issue. (woman in her 20s)
・ It’s difficult to find information about jobs where we can use our multiple languages or skills. (woman in her 20s)
○しろまる Issues after finding employment
・ It’s hard to integrate into Japanese society when my work is in English and my company suspended Japanese language lessons. With a lot of overtime, it’s also very hard to
attend language school. It would be nice to have companies provide mandatory language support for foreign employees. Or have some local community classes/events that
help with integration. (woman in her 30s)
・ Japanese companies should give their foreign employees more support in getting driver’s licenses, machinery licenses, and other licenses and qualifications necessary for
work. Salaries and bonuses should be the same for Japanese and foreign employees. Administrative agencies should have online support websites that give us the help we
need when we’re in trouble and help us solve our issues quickly. (man in his 20s)etc.Status of residence (2,403)
・ When reviewing our applications for status of residence, officers should clearly indicate what is not satisfactory. (man in his 40s)
・ It’d be great if there was guidance about how to obtain status of residence and support for preparing necessary documents. (man in his 30s)
・ Japan should make it easier for foreign residents to become permanent residents of Japan. This would encourage foreign residents to work harder in Japan. (man in his 20s)
・ When looking for jobs, we don’t know which jobs offer working visas. Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always wished for more detailed information about these opportunities. I
hope that websites, public employment agencies, or recruitment sites will provide us with detailed information on jobs that offer working visas to foreigners. If such
information were already available, there would be no need to worry about it. (man in his 30s)etc.9
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Opinions/Requests of Foreign Residents (3) Education/Housing/Work/Socializing—
Housing (1,906)
・ When looking for a new apartment after changing jobs, I had several landlords/real estate companies says they don’t do business with foreigners (even if they can speak Japanese
well). I’m aware that this kind of situation cannot be helped because it’s up to the individual company/person. Looking for reasonable housing as a foreigner was harder than I thought
it would be. (woman in her 20s)
・ I heard that a friend of mine had been charged an unreasonable amount of security deposit after leaving the rented apartment. Last year, when I was still new to Japan, I was also
confused for a while about Japanese apartment rental practices because I wasn’t familiar with them. I hope that there will be a handbook or something that shows us how to rent
apartments in Japan, including the process from finding to leaving apartments. (woman in her 20s)etc.Education (1,593)
・ Many children who were brought to Japan as infants can’t establish their identity and feel isolated. This is because they aren’t fluent in either Japanese or their native languages and
can’t fully integrate into either the Japanese community or their compatriots’ community. They should have the opportunity to learn both Japanese and their native languages
simultaneously at educational institutions. (man in his 30s)
・ I hope that we’ll be provided with information that helps us choose schools and information about the difficulty of passing entrance exams, covering all educational levels from
elementary school to university. (man in his 30s)
・ I hope that there will be Japanese language programs for foreign parents so that they can help their children learn Japanese. I think that their children tend to do poorly in Japanese
at school because their parents are not Japanese natives. It’ll be great if reading, counseling, and educational programs are available to support the second-generation migrants in
learning Japanese. (woman in her 50s)etc.Socializing (1,527)
○しろまる Interaction between Japanese and foreign nationals
・ It’d be great to see programs that give us opportunities to interact with Japanese not only when we’re students, but also when we’re in our 30s or beyond. (man in his 30s)
・ There are always local festivals, dances, and special events, but I never find out about them until afterwards. I would love to know what is happening in my community so I can
participate. It is also difficult to join clubs with likeminded people. It took me more than three years to find a choir I could join in my town. Foreigners want to assimilate into the
community, but we don't know how to do so. (woman in her 40s)
・ Hopefully, my community will have an organization or group that connects foreigners with Japanese who are interested in them (including their languages, cultures, customs, or ways
of communication). I’ve lived in Japan for five years, but I haven’t had the opportunity to learn Japanese systematically. I can’t find the time to improve my Japanese on my own
because I’m busy with household chores. I only have the Japanese communication skills necessary for daily life. I can read 50 to 60% of documents in Japanese distributed by my
kids’ schools, but I’m not good at listening to Japanese, even though I work at a convenience store. For these reasons, I’ve always wanted to be able to participate in events for
interaction between Japanese and foreign residents. I want to talk and interact with Japanese to be more confident in communicating in Japanese. I am very open-minded and love to
talk with people, but I find it very challenging to talk to Japanese for fear that I may be criticized and avoided for my poor Japanese. I sometimes go out with a group of three
Japanese friends. I’m happy with their friendship, but I sometimes have trouble understanding what they say and following their conversations because they talk fast in a way that
they talk with Japanese people. Even if I manage to understand what they are saying, I can’t say what I want to say. In this situation, I feel very lonely and embarrassed and wish that
the conversation would end soon so I don’t feel sad. I really want to talk a lot with a Japanese colleague, who is gentile and kind, but I don’t have the courage to talk to her for fear
that she may not be able to understand what I say. I really want places where everyone can enjoy interacting with each other without racial discrimination, regardless of wherever
they are from. (woman in her 20s)
・ The biggest challenge I am facing is access to information that helps foreign residents integrate into Japanese society. In particular, we have little access to unofficial information on
local communities (such as community associations’ activities, local festivals, and neighborhood socializing). I have no problem with communicating in Japanese, but it’s not easy to
access information on community activities. This has forced me to live only in a community of foreigners. My sons, who were raised in Japan, don’t identify themselves as members
of Japanese society. I hope that the demographic crisis Japan is currently facing will change the Japanese mindset in a positive way so we will gradually be accepted by Japanese
society. (woman in her 60s)
○しろまる Interaction among people from the same country
・ I want to know how many people from my country live in each region and where communities of people from my country are. (woman in her 30s)etc.10
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Opinions/Requests of Foreign Residents (4) Consultations/Medical Care/Tax/Pension—
Medical care (1,987)
・ I had trouble communicating my symptoms to a doctor and couldn’t receive the necessary medical treatment, so I want more medical support. (man in his 20s)
・ I’m pregnant. I want someone to guide me through medical care in Japan so I can better understand medical consultations at hospitals. (woman in her 30s)
・ I want to know more about financial assistance programs for intractable diseases. (man in his 20s)
・ In my case, I have difficulty in seeing doctors. It’s hard to express my complaints and it’s difficult for me to understand what the doctor is saying. Due to the language barrier, I am not sure if
I’ll be OK after consultation. (woman in her 50s)etc.Consultation (1,495)
・ The facility of directing to proper consultation centers or institutions when someone a problem to be solved. On many occasions, people are left to drift from one department to another not
necessarily being understood in depth about the problem. Having an expert present during the initial consultation is must to give the proper support to the person in need. Also, lots of
paperwork in Japan makes people reluctant to seek help, especially for those who are not confident enough in the language. (woman in her 30s)
・ We need services accompanying or assisting us at hospitals and clinics, and public services that help us in our native languages (acquaintances and friends do not always give us correct
information). (man in his 40s)
・ I’d like to see organizations where experts in various fields can provide us with counseling and support services when we are in trouble. (woman in her 40s)
・ When we unfortunately find a job at a workplace with terrible working conditions, we often have trouble with the employer. Support services or visa extensions will help many of these people.
(man in his 40s)
・ I want support (especially consultation) services for foreign residents that guide us from the ground up and who are conscious that their clients are foreigners. Some common Japanese
knowledge may not be shared by foreigners. (woman in her 20s)
・ Sometimes it’s difficult to access information or support in my native language, or the issue is too specific to my situation to search online, so I feel like I don’t know who to ask. (woman in her30s)・ I would like to receive better support when it comes to visa questions as well as financial support regarding taxes, where to find jobs as a foreigner, and so on. I would also be interested in
mental health support and how to overcome times of loneliness in a foreign country. (woman in her 20s)etc.Tax (2,196)
・ For foreigners who come to Japan for the first time, year-end income and tax declarations are difficult. (man in his 20s)
・ The residential status and tax systems are complicated and difficult to understand. When I moved to Osaka from Nagoya for a job change in March, I didn’t renew my status of residence or
complete the procedures related to municipal tax in time due to my lack of knowledge about the procedures. I’m afraid that this may negatively affect my future application for permanent
residency. I’d be happy if we could get a checklist of what we need to do after moving, like the checklist provided to us when we submit a moving-out notification at city offices. (woman in her30s)・ I didn’t know that we are required to notify local governments if we return to our home countries for more than one year in order to avoid being charged the municipal tax for that year. When I
returned to Japan from giving birth in my native Vietnam, I had to pay the municipal tax for the year I hadn’t live in my prefecture. (woman in her 20s)etc.Pension (1,749)
・ I hope that that Japanese pension system will be linked to the pension system of my home country. (man in his 40s)
・ Differences in values and culture are partly responsible for foreigners’ annoying behavior. If we are taught about some rules on living in Japan, I believe that things that annoy others will
decrease to some extent. We also need guidance about the Japanese tax and pension systems. As I went to Japanese school, I’m proficient enough in Japanese to find the necessary
information about the systems on my own. However, I’m afraid that most foreign residents can only understand everyday Japanese and don’t know about the pension structure, the types of
taxes, income tax, and other pension/tax issues. I’m also afraid that the lack of such knowledge has forced some foreigners to work under unfair working conditions. While many city offices in
metropolitan areas provide support in English, many of those in rural areas don’t, making it difficult for some local foreign residents to find the support they need. I hope there will be more
arrangements that encourage Japanese and foreign residents to respect and help each other. (woman in her 20s)etc.11
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Opinions/Requests of Foreign Residents (5) Political Participation/Insurance/Bank Accounts/Disasters—
Insurance (1,589)
・ I wanted more information about unemployment insurance, for example. I don’t know how it works. (woman in her 50s)
・ Guidance on medical, automobile, and other insurance systems and the pension system should be available. (woman in her 30s)
・ Though there are offices that provide initiatives for foreigners to live better lives in Japan, I still feel that these offices are not reaching out more actively. When we need
something related to tax, insurance, or pension issues, for example, we are not sure where to go. And even if we do find English support, at times the help they provide is
inadequate. (woman in her 60s)etc.Political participation (514)
・ I think that if they’ve lived a long time in Japan, foreigners are able to make constructive contributions to political issues. The reason is that with their different cultural
backgrounds, foreigners see things from a different perspective. To find good solutions, discussion from a variety of angles is important. (woman in her 60s)
・ Although I should not be involved in Japanese politics as a foreigner, it seems to me that the Japanese government leaves foreigners who know everything to communicate
what they know to other foreigners around them, and does not actively seek ways to communicate directly with foreigners. A small level of involvement of a minimum number
of long-term foreign residents in Japanese politics may prompt government agencies to pay closer attention to the needs and concerns of foreign residents, and help them
foster a more accurate understanding of our community. (man in his 30s)
・ I don’t see any particular disadvantages to living in Japan as a foreigner, so I don’t have specific opinions about this issue. Despite my permanent residency, I don’t have the
right to vote here because my nationality is still Philippine, so I sometimes feel isolated in politics. While I’m proud that I’m almost Japanese as I’ve lived in Japan since my
childhood, I’m not particularly interested in politics since I don’t have the right to vote. (woman in her 20s)etc.Bank account/credit card/loan (1,587)
・ The most important thing for me when I first arrived was getting a cellphone, apartment, and bank account. - Banks will not open accounts without a permanent address. -
Apartments will not rent to people without bank accounts and phone numbers. - Phone companies will not sell phones to people without bank accounts. My current problem
is trying to find a bank that will allow me to take out a housing loan so I can buy a house for my wife and I as we try to start a family. (man in his 30s)
・ My mother is also a permanent resident who has lived in Japan for more than 10 years. When I made an appointment at a branch of a major bank to open a savings account
for her, a bank clerk at the branch refused to open an account over the phone, saying, "Does she understand Japanese? Does she know how to use touch panels? If she
doesn’t know, she can’t open an account with us." I told the clerk that I would translate for her and show her how to use touch panels, but the clerk insisted that my mother
had to understand Japanese and operate touch panels independently. I felt discriminated against enough to consider lodging a complaint with the local city office or the
Ministry of Justice. A more flexible response would make it much easier for us to live in Japan. I hope that Japanese people will treat us equally, without prejudice. (woman in
her 30s)
・ With a very long name, we can’t get credit cards or open bank accounts. Our names themselves become problems here. I hope that we’ll have better arrangements. (man in
his 20s) etc.
Disaster (752)
・ Community associations are not ready to accept local foreign residents in their disaster management activities. (woman in her 60s)
・ There’s an announcement system in my building and sometimes sirens go off, but I can’t understand the message or can just see "emergency announcement" on the screen.
It’s really scary and I wish there were pictures or a website with the different sirens/announcements so I can learn. The Safety Tips app helps, but one time there was a fire
siren at 1 a.m. and I had no idea what was going on. (woman in her 20s)
・ Many foreign residents rarely watch Japanese news programs or may not fully understand them. For this reason, I want warnings of natural disasters, such as tsunamis and
eruptions, to be available in more foreign languages. (woman in her 20s)etc.12
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Opinions/Requests of Foreign Residents (6) Child-Raising/Death/Other—
Child-raising (1,205)
○しろまる Provision of information
・ I leave my husband to read letters from my kids’ schools because I can’t read them. (woman in her 40s)
・ Parenting and job information is not accessible to foreign residents, while Japanese people have their own networks of such information, like groups of mothers. (woman in her 40s)
・ I know little about Japanese elementary education system because I came to Japan for the first time as a university student. I want support related to child education. (man in his40s)○しろまる Parenting-related issues
・ Support services for education, parenting, pregnancy, and depression after childbirth are available only in Japanese, so I can’t fully communicate what I feel and what I want to
discuss, and I feel like I have no place to go for help. (woman in her 30s)etc.Death (securing a burial plot, etc.) (500)
・ I want more information about graves and wakes. (woman in her 20s)
・ While more foreigners are buying homes in Japan, they have to return home to obtain a lot of necessary documents for inheritance. This requirement lacks humanity and should be
reformed. (man in his 40s)
・ If I die in Japan due to a natural disaster or work-related accident, support for carrying my body to Vietnam will be necessary to my family. (woman in her 20s)etc.Other (550)
○しろまる Loneliness/isolation/mental health
・ Japan is actually very comfortable for foreigners like me, but I still often feel lonely because of my lack of language knowledge and socialization with Japanese people. (woman in her20s)・ As a foreigner, it is not easy to ask for help. We only realize that something is wrong with our mental health once it becomes really bad. Even when we know that something is wrong,
it is still difficult for us to speak up and get help from someone. (woman in her 40s)
・ I think I need support for mental health because I’m very worried about my future. (woman in her 20s)
○しろまる Naturalization
・ Someone like me who has lived in Japan for a long time should be able to acquire Japanese citizenship easily. Since I can’t imagine living in another country, I find it too much
trouble to apply for a passport from my home country and go through other administrative procedures. Having lived in Japan for a long time, I think and live like a Japanese. I hope
that such foreigners will be able to become naturalized Japanese citizens more easily. (woman in her 30s)
○しろまる Religion
・ I’m Muslim (Islam religion), and in Islam we should wear a hijab on our head, but at some workplaces we can’t wear a hijab it’s so difficult. (woman in her 20s)
・ I hope there will be more halal food stores and restaurants nearby. (man in his 20s)
○しろまる Same-sex marriage
・ Same sex marriage equality. My Japanese husband and I married under the law of my home country in its embassy in Tokyo. I have worries about the Japanese tax system not
recognizing him as my spouse. This means if I share money with him, is it liable for gift tax? If I die, will he have to pay a big inheritance tax because he has to sell our house (which I
am the registered owner of) because he is not my legal spouse under Japanese law? That is a big worry and unfair. (man in his 50s)
○しろまる Other issues with life
・ Many foreign workers are facing various difficulties due to the current soaring prices and weak yen, so I want the Japanese government to take some action. Thank you for the
questionnaire. (man in his 20s)
・ Since I’m not proficient in Japanese, I can’t request disposal of bulky waste via my PC. In addition, I’m not comfortable with making a request by phone because I can’t sometimes
clearly tell what I want to say. (man in his 60s)
・ I would like to see more awards for foreigners for their contributions or achievements in Japan. (man in his 20s)etc.13
Survey on Institutions
Number of foreign members
1 to 10(169institutions)
30.5%
11 to 50(100institutions)
18.0%
51 to 100(55institutions)9.9%101 to 500(157institutions)
28.3%
501 or more(59institutions)
10.6%
No foreigners
(15 institutions)2.7%49.0%
35.9%
33.5%
32.8%
31.4%
21.6%
15.3%
14.6%
11.2%9.5%23.8%4.7%Engineer, Specialist in Humanities,
International Services
Technical Intern Training
Student
Permanent Resident
Specified Skilled Worker
Spouse or Child of a Japanese
National
Long-Term Resident
Dependent
Designated Activities
Spouse or Child of a Permanent
Resident
Other working status of residence
(e.g., professor)
Other non-working status of
residence (e.g., cultural activities)
Education,
learning support
(192 institutions)
34.6%
Manufacturing
(93 institutions)
16.8%
Services, N.E.C.
(56 institutions)
10.1%
Compound
services (32
institutions)5.8%Construction (28
institutions)5.0%Wholesale and
retail trade (28
institutions)5.0%Other (126
institutions)
22.7%
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Major Results from Institutions (1) (Respondents’ Attributes)—
■しかく The most numerous industries of respondents (based on the Japan Standard Industrial Classification) were "Education, learning support" (34.6%), followed by
"Manufacturing" (16.8%), and "Services, N.E.C." (10.1%).
■しかく The most common statuses of residence of foreign members were "Engineer, Specialist in Humanities, International Services" (49.0%), followed by "Technical
Intern Training" (35.9%), and "Student" (33.5%).
■しかく The most common category of the number of foreign members was "1 to 10" (30.5%), followed by "101 to 500" (28.3%), and "11 to 50" (18.0%).
■しかく The proportion of institutions that provide some support to their foreign members was 93.3%, while that of those which provide no support was 5.2%.
(n=555)
(n=555)
(n=555)
(n=540)
Organizational category
Industry
(n=555)
42.9%
34.4%
17.1%
14.6%6.5%1.3%1.1%Corporation (profit-making)
Educational institution (e.g.,
universities, technical colleges, and
Japanese language schools)
Supervising organization
Registered support organization
Corporation (nonprofit)
Other
Independent business proprietor
Status of residence of foreign members
Support for foreign members234institutions
43.3%57institutions
10.6%213institutions
39.4%28institutions5.2%8 institutions1.5%Available (the institution
has an official point of
contact section and staff
primarily engaged in
support duties)
Available (the institution
has an official point of
contact but has no staff
primarily engaged in
support duties)
Available (the institution
has no official point of
contact but provides
support through specific
sections)
Not available
Other
* The number of institutions answering that they had at least one
foreigner with the status of residence (multiple answers allowed)14Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Major Results from Institutions (2) (Content and Frequency of Consultations)—
■しかく The most common issue brought to institutions by their foreign members for consultation was "Work (working conditions, employment, transfer, etc.)" (61.0%), followed by
"Status of residence" (52.4%) and "Japanese language study" (42.4%). While the most common issue is the same as the most common issue discussed by foreign
residents with their institutions, the rankings below second place are different.
■しかく The most common frequency of consultation requests by foreign members was "At least once per week" (30.2%), followed by "At least once per month (less than once per
week)" (28.0%) and "Less than once per six months" (13.9%).
■しかく In terms of the number of foreign members, about one-quarter (23.0%) of the institutions with a small number (1 to 10) of foreign members received requests for
consultation at least once a month, while about three-quarters (74.0%) of all institutions received requests for consultation from their foreign members, regardless of
frequency.
Content of consultation Content of consultation (by organizational
category) (excerpt)
Work Status of
residence
Japanese
language
study
Interpersonal
relationships
Educational
institution
(n=152)
52.6% 78.9% 67.1% 40.1%
Supervising
organization
(n=91)
83.5% 42.9% 54.9% 71.4%
Registered
support
organization
(n=77)
83.1% 48.1% 46.8% 70.1%
Selected
"Corporation
(profit-making)"
only (n=176)
54.0% 38.1% 17.0% 25.6%
61.0%
52.4%
42.4%
41.3%
40.0%
39.8%
29.0%
27.5%
26.0%
25.8%
25.1%
21.4%
19.3%
14.1%
12.3%7.6%6.3%4.3%3.2%0.9%0.9%0.4%6.3%
60.7%
34.6%
27.1%
19.5%
17.3%
23.0%
35.7%
26.1%6.9%17.9%
28.3%
13.8%4.3%2.9%6.4%7.9%
11.4%
10.6%4.9%1.1%1.9%3.5%1.4%2.3%
Work (working conditions, employment,
transfer, etc.)
Status of residence
Japanese language study
Interpersonal relationships
Housing
Medical careTaxPension
Relatives in home country
Money matters
Insurance
Mental health
Pregnancy or childbirth
Marriage or divorce
Issues about the family
Childraising
Children's education
Racial discrimination, equal opportunity,
respect for individuals
Disaster
Domestic violence
Death (securing a burial plot, etc.)
Nursing care
Political participation
Other
Survey on institutions
(n=462)
Survey on foreign
residents (n=4,087)
At least once
per week
30.2%
At least once per
month (less than
once per week)
28.0%
At least once per three months
(less than once per month)9.3%At least once per six months (less
than once per three months)4.3%Less than once
per six months
13.9%
Not providing
consultation8.7%Don't know5.7%(n=540)
Frequency of consultation requests4.1%14.0%
40.0%
52.9%
62.7%
18.9%
40.0%
29.1%
30.6%
25.4%
14.8%
11.0%
10.9%5.1%7.7%2.0%5.5%1.9%3.4%
28.4%
15.0%7.3%3.8%3.4%21.3%9.0%1.7%4.7%9.0%7.3%5.1%3.4%1 to 10
11 to 50
51 to 100
101 to 500
501 or more
At least once per week At least once per month At least once per three months
At least once per six months Less than once per six months Not providing consultation
Don't know
Frequency of consultation requests (by the number of foreign members)15* The items whose percentage is 1.0% or less are not shown.
(n=169)
(n=100)
(n=157)
(n=55)
(n=59)ーBasic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Major Results from Institutions (3) (Difficulties and Action)—
■しかく The most common difficulty faced by institutions when helping their foreign members, except for "No particular difficulties," was "The foreign member lacks knowledge about
Japanese systems" (41.1%), followed by "Difficult to communicate accurately due to language barriers" (37.7%) and "Difficult to identify the problem due to differences in
culture or values" (29.2%).
■しかく The most common action taken to address foreign members’ problems was "use available systems or personnel within the establishment" (61.9%), followed by "use or refer
the foreign member to services that provide information necessary for living in Japan" (53.2%) and "redesign or introduce systems within the establishment to solve the
problem" (42.9%). The fewer foreign members an institution has, the less likely the institution is to take action.16How institutions submitted requests related to
helping foreign members
61.9%
53.2%
42.9%
32.9%
29.0%
26.2%
20.1%
15.4%4.1%7.8%
Use available systems or personnel
within the establishment *(1)
Use or refer the foreign member to
services that provide information
necessary for living in Japan *(2)
Redesign or introduce systems within the
establishment to solve the problem
Seek support from or refer the foreign
member to the local government or a
support service engaged by the local
government *(3)
Seek support from or refer the foreign
member to other public institutions
Seek support from or refer the foreign
member to a regional agency of the
national government
Seek support from or refer the foreign
member to an expert, such as lawyers
and certified administrative procedures
legal specialists
Seek support from or refer the foreign
member to another organization in the
same business or the industrial
association
Seek support from or refer the foreign
member to an external private
organization, such as NPOs and NGOs
Don't know where to seek support or
refer the foreign member and can't take
action
Other-41.1%
37.7%
29.2%
14.7%
11.0%5.4%4.5%4.5%3.5%3.5%3.2%3.0%1.1%0.9%4.3%
30.7%
The foreign member lacks knowledge about
Japanese systems
Difficult to communicate accurately due to
language barriers
Difficult to identify the problem due to cultural
or value differences
Foreign members only seek help after their
problems get complicated
Support tasks disrupt normal operations
Difficulty to establish a relationship of mutual
trust with the foreign member
Don't know where to refer the foreign member
because addressing the problem requires
specialized knowledge
Don't know which service to refer the foreign
member to first because the problem is
complicated
Don't have partners that can provide support to
foreigners
The foreign member can't bear the cost of the
service
Don't know what information to provide
Service providers that can address the
problems are not readily available
The foreign member is ineligible for the system
or service
Don't know what to do in the first place
Other
No particular difficulties
(n=462)
(n=462)
Difficulty in helping foreign members Action taken
(by the number of foreign members) (excerpt)
*(1) *(2) *(3) *(4)
1 to 10 (n=125) 49.6% 28.0% 38.4% 14.4%
11 to 50
(n=82)
53.7% 46.3% 39.0% 22.0%
101 to 500
(n=148)
70.3% 69.6% 45.3% 42.6%9.4%7.4%5.9%4.1%0.4%Have submitted requests to a
regional agency of the national
government directly from the
establishment or through the head
office, etc.
Have submitted requests to the
local government directly from the
establishment or through the head
office, etc.
Have submitted requests through
the industrial association
Have submitted requests through
the personal connections of staff
Have submitted requests through
councils for specified skilled areas
(n=555)
* "Have not submitted requests before" (81.4%)
(The percentages total more than 100% as multiple answers
were allowed.)*(1)*(2)*(4)*(3)
Action taken
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Major Results from Institutions (4) (Support Staff (1))—
■しかく The most common knowledge or ability considered necessary for support was "Knowledge of the status of residence system" (76.9%), followed by "Knowledge of
tax, pension, and other social systems" (69.5%) and "Communication skills" (62.7%). When compared to what foreign residents expect from support staff,
conversational or linguistic skills, including "Multilingual skills" (57.3%), are ranked higher.
■しかく More than 80% of the institutions gave positive responses ("Yes" and "Somewhat yes") to whether they want specialized support staff for foreigners ("support
staff") and whether they want to participate in or have their staff participate in foreign resident support training. Though institutions that don’t have many foreign
members tend to respond less positively, still about 70% of them gave positive responses.
■しかく The most important thing in foreigner support training was "Training provided by a public institution" (42.9%).
Knowledge or ability necessary for support
76.9%
69.5%
62.7%
57.3%
49.4%
38.7%
35.5%
29.5%
18.2%
13.5%
12.6%2.2%4.0%
49.3%
61.0%
36.8%
35.5%
26.2%
22.5%
40.6%
24.5%
13.5%
16.1%
21.2%1.5%6.9%
Knowledge of the status of residence system
Knowledge of tax, pension, and other social systems
Communication skills
Multilingual skills/native language skills
Knowledge of different cultures and values
Knowledge of mental care
Knowledge of medical care and welfare
Ability to work with service providers
Knowledge of pregnancy and childbirth
Knowledge of childraising
Knowledge of children's education
Other
Don't know
Institutions (n=555)
Foreign residents
(n=6,154)
Whether institutions want to participate in or
have their staff participate in foreign resident
support training
What is important in foreign resident support trainingYes39.3%
Somewhatyes39.1%
Somewhat no7.4%No4.5%Don't know9.7%(n=555)
42.9% 23.4% 25.8% 5.0%2.9%Training provided by a public institution
Training achievements certified by a public institution
Financial assistance available
Training available on Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays (non-business days)
Other
(n=555)
Whether institutions want support staffYes47.4%
Somewhatyes36.2%
Somewhat no5.8%No3.2%Don't know7.4%(n=555)
By the number of foreign members
(excerpt)
Yes +
somewhatyesNo +
somewhat no
1 to 10
(n=169) 68.6% 15.4%
11 to 50
(n=100) 77.0% 15.0%
101 to 500
(n=157) 95.5% 3.2%
By the number of foreign members
(excerpt)
Yes +
somewhatyesNo +
somewhat no
1 to 10
(n=169) 67.4% 18.9%
11 to 50
(n=100) 74.0% 13.0%
101 to 500
(n=157) 88.5% 6.4%
* "What is expected from
support staff"1753.0%
35.7%5.6%2.7% 3.1% Training (a few days
to less than 6
months)
Qualification/certifica
tion examination
Training (6 months to
less than 1 year)
Taking a course at
university or
graduate school
Other (n=555)
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Major Results from Institutions (5) (Support Staff (2))—
■しかく Most institutions saw "Training (a few days to less than 6 months)" (53.0%) as the optimal way for the national government to help develop support staff.
■しかく The most common thing that institutions expect from public institutions in employing support staff was "Our support staff is at least as competent as public institutions’
support staff for foreigners" (46.6%).
■しかく To the question of whether support staff need refresher training to update their knowledge of relevant systems and other issues, 89.5% answered "Yes" or "Somewhat yes."
■しかく The Immigration Services Agency is discussing support coordinators for foreign residents, who are supposed to refer foreign residents who have concerns in their daily lives
to necessary support. To the question whether they want to have their staff participate in training for foreign resident support coordinators or hire foreigner support
coordinators, 71.9% answered "Yes" or "Somewhat yes."18Optimal way of helping the development of
support staff
What you expect from public institutions in
employing support staff
46.6%
45.3%
32.1%
30.8%
26.9%1.5%Staff of public institutions (the
national and local government) is at
least as competent as our support...
The national government gives
financial assistance
The background information of
potential support staff is available
The national government certifies
the expertise of support staff with
qualification examinations
The national government certifies us
as a company actively supporting
foreign residents
Other
(n=464)
Whether support staff need
refresher trainingYes48.1%
Somewhatyes41.4%
Somewhat no2.2%No2.0%Don'tknow6.3%
(n=555)
Whether institutions want to
hire support coordinatorsYes33.3%
Somewhatyes38.6%
Somewhat no8.8%No5.9%Don't know
13.3%
(n=555)
Our support staff is at least as
competent as the support staff for
foreigners of public institutions (the
national and local governments)
By organizational category (excerpt)
Yes +
somewhat yesNo +somewhat no
Educational
institution
(n=191)
77.0% 9.4%
Supervising
organization
(n=95)
86.3% 6.3%
Corporation
(profit-making)
only (n=220)
60.9% 22.3%
By industrial classification (excerpt)
Yes +
somewhat yesNo +somewhat no
Education,
learning
support
(n=192)
75.0% 11.5%
Manufacturing
(n=93) 59.1% 26.9%
Others
(n=126) 71.4% 14.3%
By the number of foreign members (excerpt)
Yes +
somewhat yesNo +somewhat no
1 to 10
(n=169) 57.4% 23.7%
11 to 50
(n=100) 67.0% 21.0%
101 to 500
(n=157) 84.1% 7.0%
More than 50% of institutions with any
attribute answered "Yes" or "Somewhat yes."
Basic Survey on Foreign Residents in FY2023
—Open-Ended Questions to Institutions—
Opinions/requests
○しろまる Points of contact for help
・ I hope that we’ll be able to solve our foreign members’ problems in one place. For example, when we contact a local city office to seek advice about tax, we are asked to contact a local tax office. When
we contact the Organization for Technical Intern Training to ask some questions about the technical intern training system, we are asked to contact the Immigration Services Agency. That is, we have
to contact more than one place, so it’d be great if there was a one-stop shop for support for foreign residents.
・ We often get passed from one department to another, so administrative agencies should improve their sectionalism and clarify their roles and responsibilities. They should also promote digitalization of
their administrative procedures, taking into account that the procedures may involve foreign residents.
・ We are frequently asked for advice and help on pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, and enrollment in daycare centers. In addition to providing explanations, we also directly assist foreign residents in
preparing necessary documents and contacting government agencies. With the growing population of foreigners in Japan, the demand for support services for them will also rise. We will need
consistent support throughout the stages from childbirth and parenting to enrollment in elementary school, rather than individual support provided by government agencies.
・ Some issues foreign interns have are sensitive. For this reason, we try to interview both sides of the issues to avoid bias. Since more and more foreign interns swallow information found on social
media without thinking, we as a supervising organization seek help from relevant organizations to provide accurate information to foreign interns, but sometimes we are given the runaround among the
organizations. As their issues need to be solved quickly, we are fully aware of the need to clarify where we can solve them.
・ It’d be great if each municipal office had specialists in advising and helping foreign residents and a system that refers foreign residents to persons or organizations that can solve their problems. We
hope that such specialists will regularly visit organizations that have foreigner members, interview them, and address their issues.
○しろまる Support staff’s skills and support systems
・ Support staff need training opportunities or other assistance that helps them develop expertise.
・ The language barrier is are one of the biggest challenges facing foreigners living in Japan. Hopefully, public assistance will be provided for developing tools of communication between those who don’t
speak the same language.
・ International students who face some difficulties tend to talk to friends from their own countries and try to solve the problems by themselves. This is not always a bad thing, but their problems may be
solved more appropriately and expeditiously if they sought help or advice from us. A point of contact for help and counselors accessible to international students would effectively address many of the
problems they may have.
・ We need a leader of foreign staff who can manage foreign staff and serve as a mediator between foreign and Japanese staff (the leader should have Japanese proficiency at the N2 level).
・ Our organization is represented by a foreigner and has a large number of foreign staff in our group companies, so working with foreigners is common for us. We don’t see the need to take action to
support our foreign staff.
・ Supporting only foreign staff can lead to dissatisfaction among Japanese staff, so it is necessary to ensure balanced support for both groups.
・ Government authorities should meet regularly to share their cases of solving foreign residents’ problems and hold workshops for personnel in charge of dealing with foreign residents.
・ There is a need for assistance in providing mental care to foreign members in their native languages.
○しろまる Promotion of a cohesive society
・ Community integration: It’s important to strengthen ties between local foreign and Japanese residents and promote intercultural cohesion through cultural events, socializing activities, and volunteer
activities.
・ Foreign residents are facing a broad range of psychological, financial, and cultural challenges. For Japanese society to accept more foreigners, it’s necessary to raise awareness of intercultural
cohesion not only among foreign residents but also among Japanese.
・ Even when foreign residents properly sort their garbage, they are often the ones who get the blame if some Japanese residents don’t. Although it seems that they are not directly criticized, I feel pained
to think that they may have experienced discriminatory treatment in other aspects of everyday life. I hope that all of us will give up this discriminatory way of thinking against foreign residents.
○しろまる Requests to government agencies
・ It’d be helpful if the information provided on the website of each government agency were available in both Japanese and English. Then we’ll be able to show our foreign members the information
available on the websites of the National Tax Agency, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and other government agencies when explaining various systems to them.
・ It’d be very helpful if the Immigration Services Agency held workshops to help us understand the immigration control law.
・ We want to distribute to international students booklets on what they should know to live in Japan as international students, such as student visa requirements, the requirement to obtain permission to
engage in an activity not permitted by the status of residence to work part-time, and how to make a deemed re-entry into Japan (entering or leaving Japan with permission). We would like to see the
Immigration Services Agency create such a booklet and distribute it to educational institutions.
・ The Guidebook on Living and Working available on the website of the Immigration Services Agency is very helpful.
・ We want to employ foreign workers but have difficulty finding accommodation for them. Our Japanese staff have to assist our foreign workers in completing necessary administrative procedures at local
government offices, using postal services (such as responding to delivery notices), and using other public services. Public services should improve for foreign residents. etc.19■しかく This survey was conducted to find out what kinds of support and efforts are needed for institutions to solve the concerns of their foreign members by asking
respondents to answer additional open-ended questions. The following are some of their answers. Obvious typographical errors and information that could identify
an individual or organization have been corrected. Not all opinions and requests are provided here.