Thai nationals are now the largest group of foreign nationals overstaying in Japan, according to figures published by the Japanese immigration agency for the first half of the year.
Data released by Japan’s Immigration Services Agency (ISA) showed that 10,260 Thai nationals were overstaying as of July 1, 2026, surpassing Vietnam for the top spot by 125 people.
The figures come despite an overall decline in foreign nationals overstaying in Japan. The total fell to 65,229 on July 1, down 3,259 people, or 4.8%, from 68,488 on January 1.
Thailand moved into first place not because its numbers increased, but because Vietnam recorded a sharper decline. Thai overstayers fell by 647, while Vietnam’s total dropped by 1,466 during the same six-month period.
Vietnam ranked second with 10,135 overstayers, followed by South Korea with 9,759, down 261 from January.
China placed fourth with 5,312, a decrease of 515, while the Philippines ranked fifth with 4,173, down 220.
Indonesia followed in sixth place with 4,077 overstayers, a drop of 171, while Taiwan ranked seventh with 2,424, down 177.
Sri Lanka was eighth with 2,378 overstayers, an increase of 287 and the only rise among the top 10 nationalities.
Turkey ranked ninth with 1,212, down 16, while Cambodia completed the top 10 with 938, a decrease of 106.
Among the 10,260 Thai nationals recorded as overstaying, women accounted for the majority, with 6,732 people, or 65.6%. Men accounted for the remaining 3,528, or 34.4%.
The reported figures do not provide a breakdown of why those overstaying originally entered Japan, whether for work, tourism or study.
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