Chinese outrank Koreans as largest group of foreign residents

Tuesday 03rd June, 11:33 AM JST

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borscht at 12:06 PM JST - 3rd June

Special permanent residents:

those forced to come to Japan during Japanese colonial rule and their offspring.

Those 'offspring' are anywhere from 50 to 100 years old. Their offspring have offspring. When will they become 'Japanese'? (legally, I know they'll never be Japanese socially.)
rjd_jr at 12:28 PM JST - 3rd June

They become Japanese when they want to become Japanese, their choice.
jerseyboy at 12:31 PM JST - 3rd June

Wow...1.7% of the aggregate population. But, if you believe the sensationalist news coverage and fear-mongering, we are responsible for about 1/2 the crime.
smithinjapan at 12:49 PM JST - 3rd June

Japan ought to finally get with most of the rest of the world and offer dual citizenship, at least for those 'special' permit people who are forced to choose the heritage their ancestors gave them or throw it away to be Japanese. It's just not fair to have to choose, and for those who do choose Japanese, there is still a lot of stigma which makes me question if it's wise to do so.
Piglet at 01:41 PM JST - 3rd June

most of whom are of Korean ethnicity

Note to redactor: You should use the term Korean citizenship instead. Contrary to what those Korean and Japanese nationalists say, there is no such thing as Korean or Japanese ethnicity. Please refrain from using such dubious terms.
Beelzebub at 01:56 PM JST - 3rd June

There are probably also tens of thousands of naturalized Taiwanese living here, going back three or four generations. Someone named "Lin" doesn't even have to change his name when naturalizing, he just pronounces it "Hayashi" instead. Unless you ask them about their family history, there's no way to distinguish them from the "Yamato" Japanese majority.
pizzaboy at 02:20 PM JST - 3rd June

But, if you believe the sensationalist news coverage and fear-mongering, we are responsible for about 1/2 the crime.

No one gets in a huff about that stuff except you. And stay on topic please, this isn't about all of the crime that foreigners comitt in Japan.
some14some at 03:28 PM JST - 3rd June

Good news, a great contribution of foreign community to this ageing society facing various problems such as : lower birth rate, higher suicide rate higher crime rate etc.
kagunlapell at 03:30 PM JST - 3rd June

"Japanese colonial rule" = Japanese occupation? btw, there're more foreigners in any big European capital than in the whole japan, why is that? (rhetoric question)
Everton2 at 03:57 PM JST - 3rd June

The Chinese will eventually outrank us all on every part of the Globe, its only a matter of time
conqueror_of_Uranus at 07:07 PM JST - 3rd June

The Chinese will eventually outrank us all on every part of the Globe, its only a matter of time

That depends on what defines "us".
OssanULTRA at 07:51 PM JST - 3rd June

"That depends on what defines "us".

"US" = anyone not Chinese or of Chinese ethnicity.
skipthesong at 10:31 AM JST - 4th June

While I find myself agreeing with both smithinjapan and believe it or not Everton2, there is a certain legitimate concern when one group of people become so large living outside their home countries and one of those concerns is voting. Japan is in the midst of allowing us to vote, with such large groups politician will be bending towards them and thus certain changes may come a bit too abruptly. While changes should be welcomed, it should be welcomed in gradually. Otherwise, there could be a backlash from the Native population.

What needs to be ask to these Chinese and those Zainichi's is if given citizenship, where will your loyalty lay, in your historical lands or your new adopted country?
koreanpride1 at 09:32 PM JST - 5th July

Koreans in Japan (2009): 962,000. Chinese in Japan (2009): 600.000. If you include naturalized Korean Japanese population it would come out to probably 1.5 million. Still there are more Koreans in Japan then Chinese.
typeking at 11:48 AM JST - 7th July

Korean in Japan is about 2 million. Probably there are more Koreans in Japan then all chinese resturants combined in Japan.