Why three out of four economists actually like us being here ;)

Being an expat in Japan can sometimes feel like a constant balancing act of fitting in where you can, and standing out where you can't. There is some good news, however, according to a recent survey, with a bulk of economists feeling that foreigners in Japan are a net positive.

The Japan Center for Economic Research and the Nikkei daily recently asked around 50 of the country's top economists whether having more foreign residents is a good thing for Japan. 76% of these very smart people think that folks like us aren't just taking up space on crowded trains but helping to boost productivity, plug labor shortages, and maybe even making life better for Japanese citizens overall.

To paraphrase one of the professors mentioned in the article via the Japan Times I've linked below, if Japan creates an environment where foreigners can really use their skills (instead of just being seen as "extra hands"), then everyone wins. I thought it was a nice reminder that the struggles of navigating the language and bureaucracy here might actually be part of a bigger, positive shift.

With foreign residents hitting a record 3.76 million last year (just over 3% of the population), the direction seems pretty clear that Japan needs people like us, even if the political winds sometimes make us feel otherwise. Three out of four economists agree, and in a country where consensus is often viewed as everything, that feels like a pretty solid batting average.

Info source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/08/14/foreign-residents-survey/

https://www.jcer.or.jp/english/does-the-increase-in-foreign-residents-improve-the-welfare-of-japanese-citizens