The Census is an important national statistical survey conducted every five years, covering all people and households living in Japan.
This year, 2025, is a Census year. The online response period is from September 20 to October 8, and responses by paper form are accepted from October 1 to October 8. Foreign residents are also included in the survey and can respond in English or other languages.
Regarding Foreign Residents and the Census
As explained on the official Census website, the results of the survey are used to improve the living environment for both Japanese and foreign residents and for disaster prevention planning. All foreign residents who have already lived in Japan for more than three months, or who plan to reside in Japan for more than three months, are included in the survey. Submission is legally required, so please make sure to complete your response within the deadline. The survey results are used solely for statistical purposes and are not used for immigration control, police investigations, or any other purposes.
The Census form is not mailed. In principle, starting September 20, census workers will visit households and deliver the form in a blue envelope. You can respond using this form online, by mail, or by handing it to a census worker.
The Census can also be completed online. You can use the Login ID and Access Key listed in the "Internet Response Request" included with your Census form. Responding online eliminates the need to return the paper form.
Complete the Census form and submit it either by mail using the enclosed return envelope or by handing it to a census worker.
If you have difficulty responding by the deadline, you can contact the Census Call Center at 0570-02-5901 to have a census worker collect it from your home.
・During the Census, you will never be asked for money, nor will you be asked for your bank account PIN or credit card information.
・Be cautious of suspicious visitors, phone calls, emails, or websites claiming to be from the Census. If something seems suspicious, contact your local municipality immediately.
・Census surveyors always carry a Census ID to verify their identity. In some areas, the work is outsourced to organizations such as building management companies, whose staff carry delegation certificates for the Census.
If your response is not received by the deadline, census workers will revisit households between October 17 (Fri) and October 27 (Mon). According to Articles 13 and 61 of the Statistics Act, anyone who refuses to respond or submits false information may be fined up to 500,000 yen.
The Census can be completed not only in Japanese but also in the following languages:
English, Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), Korean, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Spanish
Additionally, guidance and information about the Census are available in the following languages:
English, Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), 한국어 (Korean), Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese), Português (Portuguese), Español (Spanish), Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian), Filipino (Filipino), မြန်မာဘာသာ (Burmese), नेपाली (Nepali), ภาษาไทย (Thai), සිංහල (Sinhala), বাংলা ভাষা (Bengali), ភាសាខ្មែរ (Khmer), Français (French), हिंदी (Hindi), Монгол хэл (Mongolian), Русский (Russian), Bahasa Malaysia (Malay), Deutsch (German), عربي (Arabic), Türkçe (Turkish), Italiano (Italian), فارسی (Persian), ພາສາລາວ (Lao), Română (Romanian), اردو (Urdu)
For details, please visit the official page: 2025 Census Multilingual Page
Please contact the Census Bureau directly.
Census Call Center: 0570-02-5901 (or 03-6628-2258)
Service period: until November 7
Hours: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM, including weekends and holidays
Official website: https://www.kokusei2025.go.jp/about/en/
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