FEATURE: Japan nears 10% foreign population years ahead of official forecasts

TOKYO - Japan is moving toward a 10 percent foreign population far faster than official projections, with dozens of municipalities already crossing the threshold and one village reporting that more than a third of its residents are foreign nationals.

A national research institute has estimated that foreigners will account for 10.8 percent of Japan's population by 2070. But an analysis of Basic Resident Register data shows the shift is already well under way at the local level. As of January, 27 municipalities had foreign resident ratios above 10 percent, led by the village of Shimukappu in Hokkaido at 36.6.