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

Official US State Department data

L-1 visa statistics for Japan

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

Data through February 2026

L-1 visas issued to nationals of Japan

Every L-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

3,1923,192

Down 8.5%vs 3,490 in the 12 months before

Down 8.5% on the previous 12 months.

Monthly average
266
Busiest month
416
Mar 2025
Latest month
309
Feb 2026Up 15%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 3.5k

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 3.2k

0100200300400500
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.

02k4k6k8k
4.6k
4.5k
4.7k
4.9k
4.6k
4.8k
Pre-COVID peak4.9k
4.7k
4.3k
2k
2.3k
3.1k
2.8k
3.3k
3.2k
1.2k
'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26

Striped: the current year so far.

FY2011: 4,572 visas; FY2012: 4,479 visas; FY2013: 4,662 visas; FY2014: 4,893 visas; FY2015: 4,584 visas; FY2016: 4,791 visas; FY2017: 4,930 visas; FY2018: 4,701 visas; FY2019: 4,335 visas; FY2020: 2,039 visas; FY2021: 2,279 visas; FY2022: 3,076 visas; FY2023: 2,782 visas; FY2024: 3,267 visas; FY2025: 3,247 visas; FY2026: 1,189 visas so far.

FY2025 had 3,247 visas (−0.6% on FY2024). That's 34% below the pre-pandemic peak (FY2017). FY2026 so far (Oct–Feb) is running 4.4% behind the same months of FY2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, to nationals of Japan
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026309269Up 15%
January 2026253274Down 7.7%
December 2025283286About flat, 1%
November 2025151194Down 22%
October 2025193221Down 13%
September 2025271236Up 15%
August 2025256304Down 16%
July 2025275312Down 12%
June 2025283313Down 9.6%
May 2025170296Down 43%
April 2025332338About flat, 1.8%
March 2025416447Down 6.9%
February 2025269–
January 2025274–
December 2024286–
November 2024194–
October 2024221–
September 2024236–
August 2024304–
July 2024312–
June 2024313–
May 2024296–
April 2024338–
March 2024447–

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.

L-1 visas issued in Japan

How many L-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

3,4663,466

Down 9.6%vs 3,835 in the 12 months before

Down 9.6% on the previous 12 months.

Monthly average
289
Busiest month
446
Mar 2025
Latest month
326
Feb 2026Up 13%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 3.8k

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 3.5k

0100200300400500
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
  • Tokyo84% of total
    2.9kAbout flat, 0.8%
    2,899 visas in the last 12 months, 2,923 in the 12 months before
  • Osaka-Kobe16% of total
    557Down 39%
    557 visas in the last 12 months, 910 in the 12 months before
  • Naha0.3% of total
    10Up 400%
    10 visas in the last 12 months, 2 in the 12 months before

Tokyo issues the most: 84% of the total. Osaka-Kobe issued 39% fewer.

When visas are issued

Visas issued in Japan each month. Darker means more.

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Typical
13%
5.8%

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

Busiest: March 2024: 476 visas

FewerMoreNo data

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

Year by year

Calendar years, January to December.

  1. 2023

    3k

    Jan – Dec 2023

    First full year in this data
  2. 2024

    3.7k

    Jan – Dec 2024

    Up 24%vs 2023
  3. 2025

    3.4k

    Jan – Dec 2025

    Down 6.7%vs 2024
  4. 2026So far

    605

    Jan–Feb · 2 of 12 months

    About flat, 2.9%vs same months a year earlier

2025 had 3,449 visas (−6.7% on 2024). 2026 so far (Jan–Feb) is level with the same months of 2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, in Japan
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026326289Up 13%
January 2026279299Down 6.7%
December 2025303322Down 5.9%
November 2025167214Down 22%
October 2025210256Down 18%
September 2025286252Up 13%
August 2025290340Down 15%
July 2025302350Down 14%
June 2025308343Down 10%
May 2025188329Down 43%
April 2025361365About flat, 1.1%
March 2025446476Down 6.3%
February 2025289235Up 23%
January 2025299213Up 40%
December 2024322302Up 6.6%
November 2024214203Up 5.4%
October 2024256189Up 35%
September 2024252220Up 15%
August 2024340255Up 33%
July 2024350236Up 48%
June 2024343281Up 22%
May 2024329199Up 65%
April 2024365230Up 59%
March 2024476417Up 14%

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

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