The number of immigration law violators who were deported rose by over 65% in 2023, the year after Japan lifted COVID-19 border restrictions, Immigration Services Agency data showed Friday.
The number of those deported rose to 8,024 from 4,795 in 2022. Meanwhile, 18,198 foreign nationals were subject to deportation procedures in 2023, nearly doubling from 10,300 the year before.
Deportation procedures result in two outcomes.
In principle, overstayers and other immigration law violators are subject to deportation and will be detained until their departure, depending on certain conditions. They cannot reenter Japan for at least the next five years.
Those who voluntarily report themselves to the immigration authorities with an intention to depart from Japan are given less severe departure orders, meaning they can avoid being detained before they are deported. They are allowed to reenter after one year.
Among the 18,198 people who underwent deportation procedures, 9,197 were given the less strict departure orders.
Of those who were subject to deportation as of the end of 2023, 2,929 were given provisional release based on humanitarian and other considerations.
Foreign nationals who were subjected to the procedure hailed from 95 countries and regions, with Vietnam occupying the largest share at 38.2%, or 6,953 people, followed by Thailand (3,171) and China (2,059).
By type of violation, the majority were overstayers (16,949), while 340 illegally landed or entered the country and 175 had engaged in activities not explicitly authorized by their visas, according to the agency.
Some 12,384 were confirmed to have engaged in unlawful employment, accounting for 68.1% of the total.
By region, Kanto had the highest number and share of illegal workers at 8,983 and 72.5%. Chubu, which includes the manufacturing heartland of Aichi Prefecture, came next with 1,662, or 13.4% of all illegal workers. Meanwhile, Ibaraki Prefecture had the highest number for a prefecture at 2,748.