TOKYO — The number of Filipino workers in Japan surged to a new record in 2025, as the country increasingly relies on foreign labor to address workforce shortages caused by its aging population and declining birthrate, government data revealed Friday.
As of October 2025, there were 260,869 Filipino nationals employed in Japan, marking a 6.2% increase from the previous year. Filipinos now constitute the third-largest group of foreign workers in the country, following Vietnamese and Chinese nationals.
Vietnamese workers topped the list with 605,906 individuals, while Chinese workers numbered 431,949, according to figures released by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Overall, the foreign labor force in Japan reached an unprecedented 2,571,037 workers, the highest since the government began mandating employer reporting of foreign hires in 2007. Filipinos accounted for 10.1% of this total.
The manufacturing sector employed the largest share of Filipino workers, with 82,561 individuals, followed by the services sector with 50,701 workers. Additionally, 23,861 Filipinos were engaged in medical care and welfare, sectors facing acute labor shortages due to Japan’s rapidly aging society.
Despite the steady rise in Filipino employment, concerns linger over the depreciation of the Japanese yen, which may affect wage competitiveness compared to other countries attracting migrant workers.
Japan’s growing dependence on foreign labor highlights the challenges it faces in sustaining its economy amid demographic shifts, with Filipino workers playing an increasingly vital role in filling critical gaps across multiple industries.
