Community Information Summary

Japan-born
Historical Background
The first recorded Japanese settler arrived in Australia in 1871, an acrobat who settled in Queensland. Many Japanese came to Australia under indentured work schemes, despite the introduction of the Immigration Restriction Act 1901. The 1911 Census recorded 3281 Japanese males and 208 females in Australia. Most of the males were employed in the pearling industry in Broome and Thursday Island, while a small number worked in the sugar industry in Queensland. A Japanese Consulate was established in Townsville and one of its main tasks was to monitor the welfare of the Japanese workers. With the outbreak of the Pacific war in 1941, most of the Japanese in Australia were interned. At the war's end, only 74 Japanese nationals and their children were permitted to remain in Australia. Within two years, about 200 Japanese 'war brides' are believed to have entered the country. Most Japanese settlers reside in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, many being involved in businesses and trade. A large number of Japanese students and tourists come to Australia. Most Japanese in Australia are followers of Shintoism and Buddhism, while some observe the new Buddhist doctrinal rites, such as Rissito Kosei-Kai and Soka Gakkai. Some are Christians and there is also a small number of Muslims. There were 25 480 Japan-born people in Australia at the 2001 Census, making up 0.6 per cent of the overseasborn population.

Today
Geographic Distribution
Western Australia

Northern Territory 140 0.4%

Queensland 8590 27.9%

The latest Census in 2006 recorded 30 780 Japan-born people in Australia, an increase of 20.8 per cent from the 2001 Census. The 2006 distribution by state and territory showed New South Wales had the largest number with 11 160 followed by Queensland (8590), Victoria (5780) and Western Australia (3030).

3030 9.8%

South Australia 1240 4.0%

New South Wales 11 160 36.2%

Victoria 5780 18.8%

Australian Capital Territory 550 1.8%

Tasmania 290 1.0%

Age and Sex

Age
The median age of the Japan-born in 2006 was 33.9 years compared with 46.8 years for all overseas-born and 37.1 years for the total Australian population. The age distribution showed 10.2 per cent were aged 0-14 years, 15.5 per cent were 15-24 years, 50.8 per cent were 25-44 years, 18.5 per cent were 45-64 years and 5.1 per cent were 65 and over. Of the Japan-born in Australia, there were 10 360 males (33.7 per cent) and 20 410 females (66.3 per cent). The sex ratio was 50.8 males per 100 females.
Males
85+ 80-84 75-79 70-74 65-69 60-64 55-59 50-54 45-49 40-44 35-39 30-34 25-29 20-24 15-19 10-14 5-9 0-4

Females

12

10

6
Per Cent

6
Per Cent

10

12

Ancestry In the 2006 Census, the top three ancestry responses* that Japan-born people reported were, Japanese (28 010), Australian (1460) and English (890). In the 2006 Census, Australians reported more than 250 different Ancestries. From the total ancestry responses*, 0.2 per cent responded as having a Japanese ancestry.
*At the 2006 Census up to two responses per person were allowed for the Ancestry question; therefore providing the total responses and not persons count.

Ancestry Response

Japanese 84.0%

Australian 4.4% English 2.7% Not Stated 1.8% Other 7.2%

Language The main languages spoken at home by Japan-born people in Australia were Japanese (79.2 per cent), English (17.4 per cent) and Not Stated (0.8 per cent). Of the 25 290 Japan-born who spoke a language other than English at home, 75.4 per cent spoke English very well or well and 23.4 per cent spoke English not well or not at all.

Language Spoken at Home

Japanese 79.2% English 17.4% Not Stated 0.8% Mandarin Other 0.5% 2.1%

Religion At the 2006 Census the major religious affiliations amongst Japan-born were No Religion (15 140 persons), Buddhism (8650 persons) and Not Stated (2200 persons). Of the Japan-born, 49.2 per cent stated 'No Religion', this was higher than that of the total Australian population (18.7 per cent). 7.2 per cent of the Japan-born did not state a religion.
No Religion 49.2% Religion

Buddhism 28.1%

Not Stated 7.2% Other 11.6% Catholic 4.0%

Arrival Compared to 67.9 per cent of the total overseas-born population, 33.1 per cent of the Japan-born people in Australia arrived in Australia prior to 1996. Among the total Japan-born in Australia at the 2006 Census, 17.4 per cent arrived between 1996 and 2000 and 40.1 per cent arrived during 2001 and 2006.
per cent

Japan-born

Overseas-born

45.0 40.0 35.0 30.0 25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 Before 1971 19711980 19811990 19911995 19962000 20012006

Year of Arrival

Citizenship At the 2006 Census, the estimated rate of Australian Citizenship for the Japan-born in Australia was 20.6 per cent. The estimated rate for all overseas-born was 75.6 per cent. This rate includes adjustments for people not meeting the residential requirement for citizenship, temporary entrants to Australia and underenumeration at the Census.

Median Income At the time of the 2006 Census, the median individual weekly income for the Japan-born in Australia aged 15 years and over was $315, compared with $431 for all overseas-born and $488 for all Australia-born. The total Australian population had a median individual weekly income of $466.

Qualifications At the 2006 Census, 65.0 per cent of the Japan-born aged 15 years and over had some form of higher non school qualifications compared to 52.5 per cent of the Australian population. Among the Japan-born, 48.4 per cent had Diploma level or higher* qualifications and 7.1 per cent had Certificate level qualifications. From the Japan-born, 9580 had no higher non school qualification, of which 38.2 per cent were still attending an educational institution.
* Diploma level or higher qualification includes Degree level or higher, Advanced Diploma and Diploma level.

per cent

Japan-born

Total Australian Population

40.0 35.0 30.0 25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 Degree & Higher Adv Dip & Dipl Certf. Level Inad Desc/Not Stated No Quals Attending Ed Ins.

Level of Qualification

Employment Among Japan-born people aged 15 years and over, the participation rate in the labour force was 56.8 per cent and the unemployment rate was 6.2 per cent. The corresponding rates in the total Australian population were 64.6 and 5.2 per cent respectively. Of the 14 510 Japan-born who were employed, 33.3 per cent were employed in a Skill Level 1 occupation, 13.0 per cent in Skill Level 2 and 8.7 per cent in Skill Level 3. The corresponding rates in the total Australian population were 28.7, 10.7 and 15.1 per cent respectively.
per cent 30.0

Japan-born

Total Australian Population

25.0

20.0

15.0

10.0

5.0

0.0
Managers Prof. Tech & Trades Comm & Cler & Per Wrks Adm Wrks Sales Wrks Mach Op & Drvs Labourers

Occupation

Jointly produced by Multicultural Affairs Branch and the Programme Statistics and Monitoring Section of DIAC All data used in this summary is sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census of Population and Housing. Sources for the Historical Background available at http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/statistics/comm-summ/source.htm Commonwealth of Australia