The “situation of foreign residents” living in Nishinomiya was posted at Frente Nishinomiya.
(Information provided by Kiharu Sanjuro)
Here it is↓
Frente Nishinomiya is home to the Nishinomiya International Association(roughly speaking, an organization that helps foreign residents and Japanese residents in Nishinomiya get along well). This is one of their notices.
Now: 9,225 people (93 countries)
10 years ago: 6,098 people (80 countries)
That’s a 1.5-fold increase〜 (+3,127 people)
The top three (Korea, China, and Vietnam) make up about 64%〜
Now that I think about it, you really do see a lot more foreign residents at convenience stores and places these days〜.
Nishinomiya Ranking by Country/Region (September 1, 2025)
| Rank | Country/Region | People | 10 years ago | Change | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korea/Choson | 2,994 | 3,577 | ▼583 | 32% share |
| 2 | China | 1,546 | 1,103 | ＋443 | About 1.4x |
| 3 | Vietnam | 1,390 | 104 | ＋1,286 | About 13x |
| 4 | Nepal | 502 | 81 | ＋421 | About 6.2x |
| 5 | Philippines | 419 | 158 | ＋261 | About 2.7x |
| 6 | Indonesia | 389 | 26 | ＋363 | About 15x |
| 7 | Myanmar | 380 | 6 | ＋374 | About 63x(small base number) |
| 8 | United States | 250 | 232 | ＋18 | Almost flat |
| 9 | Taiwan | 174 | 90 | ＋84 | About 1.9x |
| 10 | Brazil | 123 | 141 | ▼18 | Slight decrease |
| – | Other 82 countries | 1,058 | 580 | ＋478 |
Nishinomiya TOP 5 by Increase
- Vietnam: ＋1,286 (about 13x)
- China: ＋443 (about 1.4x)
- Nepal: ＋421 (about 6.2x)
- Myanmar: ＋374 (about 63x*)
- Indonesia: ＋363 (about 15x)
*The multiplier looks especially large because the original number was small
Comparison with Nationwide Figures
| National rank | Country | Number nationwide | Rank in Nishinomiya |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 933,680 | 2nd |
| 2 | Korea | 530,355 | 1st |
| 3 | Vietnam | 298,681 | 3rd |
| 4 | Philippines | 285,293 | 5th |
| 5 | Brazil | 198,273 | 10th |
| 7 | United States | 111,779 | 8th |
| 8 | Nepal | 87,148 | 4th |
| 9 | Indonesia | 66,867 | 6th |
| 16 | Myanmar | 25,178 | 7th |
The number of Brazilians is relatively low compared with the national figure.
A Little Explanation
- The top group is “Korea/Choson.” China ranks first nationwide, but in Nishinomiya, this probably reflects the historical ties and the characteristics of the Hanshin area, where communities are close together〜
- Vietnam, Nepal, and Myanmar have risen sharply. These are countries that have also increased nationwide over the past 10 years, with many people coming to Japan for study, vocational schools, and work in fields like caregiving and manufacturing. Nishinomiya has many schools as well as medical and welfare facilities, and it’s easy to get to Umeda and Sannomiya, which probably makes it a good fit
We looked into the reasons behind the increase a little!
To put it simply, one reason is the “Specified Skilled Worker system”
There are various reasons, but here we’ll just talk about the “Specified Skilled Worker” status of residence (No. 1 and No. 2). The often-heard technical intern training program is a system for foreigners to “learn” in Japan. Specified Skilled Worker is a “work system”〜
Specified Skilled Worker system, in brief
It was newly established in 2019 through an amendment to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. It allows people to work in 14 fields facing labor shortages (caregiving, manufacturing, food service, etc.).
- Specified Skilled Worker No. 1: Up to 5 years / passing an exam is required / bringing family members to Japan is generally not allowed
- Specified Skilled Worker No. 2: For experienced professionals / no upper limit on period of stay / bringing family members to Japan is allowed
Where You Can Really Feel It in Nishinomiya
- The noticeable growth in Vietnamese, Nepalese, and Myanmar residents is due to increased acceptance in food service, food manufacturing, and caregiving
- Easy access to Osaka and Sannomiya + lots of schools and medical facilities = seems like an easy place to live
Good Points and Concerns
Good points
- Securing ready-to-work staff in caregiving, manufacturing, food service, and more
- Job changes are allowed, helping reduce mismatches
Concerns
- Businesses and local governments bear the costs of support, such as Japanese language learning and daily-life assistance
- If local systems for housing, education, and other support don’t keep up, things could get a bit strained
*The system details have been simplified to the key points〜
- 中華料理28.3%(32票)
- フランス料理7.1%(8票)
- イタリア料理23%(26票)
- 韓国料理6.2%(7票)
- インド・ネパール料理8.8%(10票)
- ベトナム料理4.4%(5票)
- ミャンマー料理0.9%(1票)
- トルコ料理1.8%(2票)
- スペイン料理6.2%(7票)
- タイ料理8%(9票)
- メキシコ料理3.5%(4票)
- ガンビア料理0.9%(1票)
- ブラジル料理0.9%(1票)
Finally
Nishinomiya even has an African Gambian restaurant now, right? Aeon Nishinomiya-Mondo has Vietnamese food, Indian food, and even Mister Donut, so in a way it feels like Nishinomiya’s own Expo. It’s cheaper than the Expo too, so maybe it’ll suddenly start trending〜
*Kiharu Sanjuro, thank you for the tip!!
■■■We’re looking for your tips!■■■
