A is a resident of

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

with ancestral origins in Japan's former colonies,

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

and

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

, during the period of

colonial rule Colonialism is the control of another territory, natural resources and people by a foreign group. Colonizers control the political and tribal power of the colonised territory. While frequently an imperialist project, colonialism can also take ...

. This status was created in 1991. Individuals in this category had previously been subjects of the

Empire of Japan The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...

, but had involuntarily lost that status after the war when the

Treaty of San Francisco The , also called the , re-established peaceful relations between Japan and the Allied Powers on behalf of the United Nations by ending the legal state of war, military occupation and providing for redress for hostile actions up to and inclu ...

took effect in 1952 (i.e. former citizens of Japan and their descendants).

Demographics

As of 2024, around 274,023 people in Japan were classified as Special Permanent Residents.

History and political status

Korean residents of Japan, known as

Zainichi Koreans () are ethnic Koreans who immigrated to Japan before 1945 and are citizens or permanent residents of Japan, or who are descendants of those immigrants. They are a group distinct from South Korean nationals who have immigrated to Japan since t ...

, were permitted to naturalise and become Japanese citizens, but many hesitated to do so given anti-Korean prejudice in Japan. In accordance with the law that took effect in Japan in November 1991, Zainichi Koreans gained Special Permanent Resident status. Although Special Permanent Residents are unable to vote in Japanese elections, they are usually afforded additional rights and privileges beyond those of normal Permanent Residents comparable to a citizen. For example, Special Permanent Residents are not subject to immigration control under Article 5 of the Immigration Control Act of 1951. During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, Special Permanent Residents were allowed the right of return, while other permanent residents were denied permission to enter Japan.

References

{{reflist Immigration to Japan Stateless people Zainichi Korean society History of the Bonin Islands