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  1. US Visa Statistics
  2. Japan
  3. J-1

Official US State Department data

J-1 visa statistics for Japan

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

Data through February 2026

J-1 visas issued to nationals of Japan

Every J-1 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

4,5814,581

Down 13%vs 5,268 in the 12 months before

Down 13% on the previous 12 months.

Monthly average
382
Busiest month
845
Aug 2025
Latest month
212
Feb 2026Down 15%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 5.3k

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 4.6k

02505007501k1.3k
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.

02.5k5k7.5k10k
7k
7.3k
7.3k
7.1k
7.2k
7.3k
7.2k
Pre-COVID peak7.4k
6.9k
2.2k
2.8k
5.3k
5.4k
5.3k
4.6k
1.1k
'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26

Striped: the current year so far.

FY2011: 7,007 visas; FY2012: 7,342 visas; FY2013: 7,314 visas; FY2014: 7,101 visas; FY2015: 7,218 visas; FY2016: 7,296 visas; FY2017: 7,227 visas; FY2018: 7,364 visas; FY2019: 6,905 visas; FY2020: 2,168 visas; FY2021: 2,832 visas; FY2022: 5,270 visas; FY2023: 5,386 visas; FY2024: 5,350 visas; FY2025: 4,648 visas; FY2026: 1,061 visas so far.

FY2025 had 4,648 visas (−13% on FY2024). That's 37% below the pre-pandemic peak (FY2018). FY2026 so far (Oct–Feb) is running 5.9% behind the same months of FY2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, to nationals of Japan
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026212248Down 15%
January 2026206224Down 8%
December 2025253323Down 22%
November 2025157144Up 9%
October 2025233189Up 23%
September 2025319247Up 29%
August 2025845440Up 92%
July 2025511978Down 48%
June 20258091,176Down 31%
May 2025361605Down 40%
April 2025354312Up 13%
March 2025321382Down 16%
February 2025248–
January 2025224–
December 2024323–
November 2024144–
October 2024189–
September 2024247–
August 2024440–
July 2024978–
June 20241,176–
May 2024605–
April 2024312–
March 2024382–

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.

J-1 visas issued in Japan

How many J-1 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

4,7804,780

Down 14%vs 5,588 in the 12 months before

Down 14% on the previous 12 months.

Monthly average
398
Busiest month
870
Aug 2025
Latest month
232
Feb 2026Down 12%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 5.6k

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 4.8k

05001k1.5k2k
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
  • Tokyo72% of total
    3.4kDown 6.2%
    3,429 visas in the last 12 months, 3,655 in the 12 months before
  • Osaka-Kobe26% of total
    1.2kDown 32%
    1,237 visas in the last 12 months, 1,827 in the 12 months before
  • Naha2.4% of total
    114Up 7.5%
    114 visas in the last 12 months, 106 in the 12 months before

Tokyo issues the most: 72% of the total. Osaka-Kobe issued 32% fewer.

When visas are issued

Visas issued in Japan each month. Darker means more.

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Typical
21%
3.5%

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

Busiest: June 2023: 1,361 visas

FewerMoreNo data

In 2023–2025, June was typically the busiest month and November the quietest.

Year by year

Calendar years, January to December.

  1. 2023

    5.8k

    Jan – Dec 2023

    First full year in this data
  2. 2024

    5.5k

    Jan – Dec 2024

    Down 5.2%vs 2023
  3. 2025

    4.8k

    Jan – Dec 2025

    Down 13%vs 2024
  4. 2026So far

    447

    Jan–Feb · 2 of 12 months

    Down 11%vs same months a year earlier

2025 had 4,838 visas (−13% on 2024). 2026 so far (Jan–Feb) is running 11% behind the same months of 2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, in Japan
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026232265Down 12%
January 2026215240Down 10%
December 2025259353Down 27%
November 2025163147Up 11%
October 2025252215Up 17%
September 2025340274Up 24%
August 2025870467Up 86%
July 20255061,021Down 50%
June 20258351,228Down 32%
May 2025385640Down 40%
April 2025379331Up 15%
March 2025344407Down 15%
February 2025265254Up 4.3%
January 2025240203Up 18%
December 2024353397Down 11%
November 2024147259Down 43%
October 2024215191Up 13%
September 2024274248Up 10%
August 2024467498Down 6.2%
July 20241,0211,143Down 11%
June 20241,2281,361Down 9.8%
May 2024640564Up 13%
April 2024331306Up 8.2%
March 2024407373Up 9.1%

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

J-1 approval rate: 89.0%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.