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  1. US Visa Statistics
  2. Japan
  3. H-1B

Official US State Department data

H-1B visa statistics for Japan

How many H-1B visas nationals of Japan are issued, and what each US consulate in Japan issues, month by month.

Data through February 2026

H-1B visas issued to nationals of Japan

Every H-1B visa issued to a national of Japan, at any US consulate in the world.

Visas issued to nationals of Japan, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

562562

Down 15%vs 660 in the 12 months before

Down 15% on the previous 12 months.

Monthly average
47
Busiest month
91
Dec 2025
Latest month
21
Feb 2026Up 11%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 660

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 562

0255075100125
Mar '24Apr '24May '24Jun '24Jul '24Aug '24Sep '24Oct '24Nov '24Dec '24Jan '25Feb '25Mar '25Apr '25May '25Jun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26

The long view

State Dept publishes its annual totals by US government fiscal year, which runs October to September.

Point at a year for its exact count.

05001k1.5k2k2.5k
Pre-COVID peak2.1k
1.9k
1.7k
1.4k
1.1k
1k
765
736
655
302
248
637
669
613
647
233
'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26

Striped: the current year so far.

FY2011: 2,054 visas; FY2012: 1,907 visas; FY2013: 1,698 visas; FY2014: 1,369 visas; FY2015: 1,146 visas; FY2016: 1,011 visas; FY2017: 765 visas; FY2018: 736 visas; FY2019: 655 visas; FY2020: 302 visas; FY2021: 248 visas; FY2022: 637 visas; FY2023: 669 visas; FY2024: 613 visas; FY2025: 647 visas; FY2026: 233 visas so far.

FY2025 had 647 visas (+5.5% on FY2024). That's 69% below the pre-pandemic peak (FY2011). FY2026 so far (Oct–Feb) is running 27% behind the same months of FY2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, to nationals of Japan
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 20262119Up 11%
January 20263969Down 43%
December 202591102Down 11%
November 20254164Down 36%
October 20254164Down 36%
September 20254245Down 6.7%
August 20255554About flat, 1.9%
July 20256377Down 18%
June 20256361Up 3.3%
May 20254138Up 7.9%
April 20253631Up 16%
March 20252936Down 19%
February 202519–
January 202569–
December 2024102–
November 202464–
October 202464–
September 202445–
August 202454–
July 202477–
June 202461–
May 202438–
April 202431–
March 202436–

Source: US Department of State monthly reports of nonimmigrant visas issued by nationality, and its annual Report of the Visa Office for earlier years. Nationals of Japan who interview at a US consulate in another country are counted here, so these totals run higher than the consulate figures for Japan.

H-1B visas issued in Japan

How many H-1B visas the US consulates in Japan issue each month, whether that's rising or falling, and where it's moving.

Visas issued in Japan, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

963963

Down 32%vs 1,418 in the 12 months before

Down 32% on the previous 12 months. The last 3 months ran 58% below the same months a year earlier.

Monthly average
80
Busiest month
121
Dec 2025
Latest month
30
Feb 2026Down 53%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 1.4k

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 963

0100200300400
Mar '24Apr '24May '24Jun '24Jul '24Aug '24Sep '24Oct '24Nov '24Dec '24Jan '25Feb '25Mar '25Apr '25May '25Jun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26

Where visas are issued

Each consulate's last 12 months, against the 12 months before.

Last 12 monthsThe 12 months before
  • Tokyo88% of total
    846Down 29%
    846 visas in the last 12 months, 1,188 in the 12 months before
  • Osaka-Kobe11% of total
    105Down 53%
    105 visas in the last 12 months, 224 in the 12 months before
  • Naha1.2% of total
    12Up 100%
    12 visas in the last 12 months, 6 in the 12 months before

Tokyo issues the most: 88% of the total. Osaka-Kobe issued 53% fewer.

When visas are issued

Visas issued in Japan each month. Darker means more.

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Typical
4.9%
15%

Typical: each month's share of a year's visas, averaged over 2023–2025.

Busiest: December 2024: 261 visas

FewerMoreNo data

In 2023–2025, December was typically the busiest month and February the quietest.

Year by year

Calendar years, January to December.

  1. 2023

    1.2k

    Jan – Dec 2023

    First full year in this data
  2. 2024

    1.4k

    Jan – Dec 2024

    Up 16%vs 2023
  3. 2025

    1.1k

    Jan – Dec 2025

    Down 20%vs 2024
  4. 2026So far

    80

    Jan–Feb · 2 of 12 months

    Down 63%vs same months a year earlier

2025 had 1,102 visas (−20% on 2024). 2026 so far (Jan–Feb) is running 63% behind the same months of 2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, in Japan
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 20263064Down 53%
January 202650155Down 68%
December 2025121261Down 54%
November 202570156Down 55%
October 202573133Down 45%
September 20259085Up 5.9%
August 20258895Down 7.4%
July 2025109121Down 9.9%
June 202593110Down 15%
May 20257895Down 18%
April 20258361Up 36%
March 20257882Down 4.9%
February 20256462Up 3.2%
January 2025155113Up 37%
December 2024261174Up 50%
November 2024156144Up 8.3%
October 202413388Up 51%
September 20248574Up 15%
August 202495109Down 13%
July 2024121108Up 12%
June 2024110125Down 12%
May 20249579Up 20%
April 20246164Down 4.7%
March 20248279Up 3.8%

Source: US Department of State monthly reports of nonimmigrant visas issued at each US consulate. These count visas issued, not interview appointments available.

H-1B approval rate: 97.2%Worldwide, FY2024. How it has moved since FY2019.All visa types for JapanEvery US visa issued to nationals of Japan, by visa type, and each consulate's total.Worldwide statisticsWhich countries and visa types get the most US visas.