By late 2024, Japan had about 3.77 million foreign residents, roughly equal to Yokohama’s population, highlighting a growing foreign presence while unpaid national health-insurance and pension premiums raise concerns that taxpayers are subsidizing nonpayers; the issue feeds into debates over immigration and labor policy as the government expands foreign-work programs and plans reforms to the Development and Employment scheme, replacing the technical internship system, while scrutiny grows over premium nonpayment and welfare coverage for residents.