TOKYO -- Japan saw net immigration rise for a sixth straight year to a record high in the year through Oct. 1, adding to a relatively youthful foreign population that is helping the country cope with a chronic labor shortage.
The number of immigrants to Japan minus the number of people leaving the country came to 165,000, government data released Friday shows. Resident foreigners totaled 2.22 million -- an all-time high and 1.76% of the population.
