Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to elucidate possible reasons for the difference in the number of foreign residents in Japan in 2000, with respect to the two major population statistics: the population census and statistics on registered foreigners. Based on an examination of the ratios calculated from the numbers common to the two statistics, and interviews with the organizations concerned, the following findings have been obtained. Regarding the situation that the number from the statistics on registered foreigners is higher than that from the census, the following four specific reasons are conjectured. First, the times at the two sets of statistics differ by three months. Second, foreigners holding "temporary visitor" residence status are included in the registration statistics only. Third, registered foreigners may have left Japan with a re-entry permit at the time of the census. Fourth, a certain number of the registered foreign residents did not cooperate with the census due to their illegal hope to work. As for the situation that the number of residents in the census exceeds that of the registered foreigners, it is recognized that civilian foreigners with US nationality who work within the United States' military bases in Japan tend to consider it unnecessary to follow the registration procedure. Among the five reasons mentioned above, the attitude of non-cooperation with the census is conjectured to be the most important. In terms of nationality, Philippine citizens exhibit the greatest difference between the two statistics. Thus, the conclusion is that the number of foreign residents in Japan shown in the census reports tends to be under-representative; the number in the registered foreigner statistics is more reliable.
