Almost four decades on from its origins in the arrival of women to work as hostesses at so-called Philippine pubs, the Filipino community has become one of the most rooted in Japan — but one that still largely comprises women.
Filipinos are the fourth-largest foreign contingent after the Chinese, South Korean and Vietnamese communities, with many choosing to spend their lives in Japan.
According to data released by the Justice Ministry as of June 2020, 132,551, or roughly 47 percent, of the 282,023 Filipinos legally residing in Japan held permanent resident visas — much higher than the 28 percent for foreign nationals overall. Women, meanwhile, accounted for around 70 percent of the total, rising to about 84 percent for those over 35.