Japan Immigration News

Escorted Deportations Hit Record as Immigration Enforcement Tightens

Release Date: 2026-04-02
Media: JAPAN Forward
Summary: Japan’s Immigration Services Agency (ISA) intensified deportation efforts in 2025 under its “Zero Illegal Foreign Residents Plan,” aiming to reduce undocumented residents with final deportation orders.

Escorted deportations rose to a record 318 people, 1.3 times higher than the previous year, with a goal to double such cases by 2027. The policy prioritizes individuals who have repeatedly applied for refugee status (three or more times) and serious offenders. This approach was enabled by a 2024 legal amendment allowing deportation even after multiple asylum applications.

Overall, 7,563 people were deported in 2025, mostly through voluntary departure, while total departures (including departure orders) reached 17,352. Among those forcibly deported with escorts, many were repeat asylum applicants, particularly from Turkey, followed by the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

The plan specifically targets high-risk and non-compliant individuals, including those resisting deportation. Some cases involved long-term overstayers who continued filing asylum claims without new evidence, prompting enforced removal.

At the same time, the number of people with confirmed deportation orders rose to 3,369. Turkish nationals accounted for the largest group, followed by Iranians and Sri Lankans.

New measures also expanded alternatives to detention, such as supervised release, which increased significantly. Overall, the data indicates that stricter enforcement and faster asylum processing are driving an increase in deportations under the Zero Plan.
Tags: Deportation

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