海外在留邦人、コロナで初の減少

　外務省は７日までに、「海外在留邦人数実態調査」の結果を公表した。それによると、昨年１０月１日現在の在留邦人数は前年比５万２６３２人減の１３５万７７２４人で、統計が残る１９８９年以来初めて減少に転じた。
　新型コロナウイルスの世界的流行により帰国者が増えたほか、留学などの新規渡航を見送る動きが広がったことが要因という。
　調査は在外公館に届けられた在留届を基に、毎年１０月１日時点の在留邦人数を算出。帰国届の出し忘れや死亡、国籍喪失などによって実際の人数との乖離（かいり）も指摘されており、外務省は昨年、一部電話による精査を行った。（2021/06/07-16:19）

The number of Japanese nationals living abroad fell 52,632 from a year earlier to 1,357,724 as of Oct. 1, 2020, marking the first decline since comparable data became available in 1989, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.
   The coronavirus pandemic boosted moves to return to Japan while destroying plans to go abroad for, among others, study, ministry officials said.
   The ministry counts every year how many Japanese nationals live overseas as of that date based on residential registrations with its diplomatic establishments.
   To minimize the difference between the reported number and the actual figure caused by failures to notify the establishments of returning home, deaths and changes of nationality, the ministry conducted a follow-up telephone survey.