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

Official US State Department data

M-1 visa statistics for Japan

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

Data through February 2026

M-1 visas issued to nationals of Japan

Every M-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

390390

Down 8.5%vs 426 in the 12 months before

Down 8.5% on the previous 12 months.

Monthly average
33
Busiest month
59
Aug 2025
Latest month
59
Feb 2026Up 157%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 426

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 390

0255075100
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.

0200400600800
551
475
555
Pre-COVID peak601
593
581
539
503
499
295
339
401
396
395
378
178
'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26

Striped: the current year so far.

FY2011: 551 visas; FY2012: 475 visas; FY2013: 555 visas; FY2014: 601 visas; FY2015: 593 visas; FY2016: 581 visas; FY2017: 539 visas; FY2018: 503 visas; FY2019: 499 visas; FY2020: 295 visas; FY2021: 339 visas; FY2022: 401 visas; FY2023: 396 visas; FY2024: 395 visas; FY2025: 378 visas; FY2026: 178 visas so far.

FY2025 had 378 visas (−4.3% on FY2024). That's 37% below the pre-pandemic peak (FY2014). FY2026 so far (Oct–Feb) is running 7.2% ahead of the same months of FY2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, to nationals of Japan
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 20265923Up 157%
January 20265176Down 33%
December 20252730Down 10%
November 20251514Up 7.1%
October 20252623Up 13%
September 20252536Down 31%
August 20255949Up 20%
July 20251881Down 78%
June 20252626About flat, 0%
May 20253429Up 17%
April 20252410Up 140%
March 20252629Down 10%
February 202523–
January 202576–
December 202430–
November 202414–
October 202423–
September 202436–
August 202449–
July 202481–
June 202426–
May 202429–
April 202410–
March 202429–

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.

M-1 visas issued in Japan

How many M-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

353353

Down 6.1%vs 376 in the 12 months before

Down 6.1% on the previous 12 months. But the last 3 months ran 12% above the same months a year earlier.

Monthly average
29
Busiest month
61
Feb 2026
Latest month
61
Feb 2026Up 307%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 376

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 353

0255075100
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
  • Tokyo78% of total
    276About flat, 2.2%
    276 visas in the last 12 months, 270 in the 12 months before
  • Osaka-Kobe19% of total
    66Down 25%
    66 visas in the last 12 months, 88 in the 12 months before
  • Naha3.1% of total
    11Down 39%
    11 visas in the last 12 months, 18 in the 12 months before

Tokyo issues the most: 78% of the total. Naha issued 39% fewer.

When visas are issued

Visas issued in Japan each month. Darker means more.

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Typical
17%
3.4%

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

Busiest: July 2024: 83 visas

FewerMoreNo data

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

Year by year

Calendar years, January to December.

  1. 2023

    407

    Jan – Dec 2023

    First full year in this data
  2. 2024

    365

    Jan – Dec 2024

    Down 10%vs 2023
  3. 2025

    343

    Jan – Dec 2025

    Down 6%vs 2024
  4. 2026So far

    103

    Jan–Feb · 2 of 12 months

    Up 11%vs same months a year earlier

2025 had 343 visas (−6% on 2024). 2026 so far (Jan–Feb) is running 11% ahead of the same months of 2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, in Japan
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 20266115Up 307%
January 20264278Down 46%
December 20252723Up 17%
November 20251515About flat, 0%
October 20252414Up 71%
September 20252020About flat, 0%
August 20255535Up 57%
July 20251383Down 84%
June 20252527Down 7.4%
May 20252528Down 11%
April 2025189Up 100%
March 20252829Down 3.4%
February 20251543Down 65%
January 20257839Up 100%
December 20242339Down 41%
November 2024157Up 114%
October 2024148Up 75%
September 2024209Up 122%
August 20243535About flat, 0%
July 20248376Up 9.2%
June 20242748Down 44%
May 20242824Up 17%
April 2024927Down 67%
March 20242934Down 15%

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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