Established in 1951, IOM is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration within the United Nations system.

IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits both migrants and society. It engages in a wide range of activities, including direct support for the people on the move, providing technical assistance and expertise to governments, facilitating intergovernmental dialogues on migration, promoting international cooperation, and conducting research and studies.

Following the adoption of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, IOM became part of the United Nations system as a related organization in 2016.

As of 2024, there are approximately 281 million international migrants worldwide. In Japan, the number of foreign residents continues to grow each year, accounting for nearly 3% of the total population. Today, people move for variety of reasons forcibly and voluntarily —conflict and persecution, natural disasters, climate change, human trafficking, as well as new opportunities for work and study. In this context, our role to comprehensively address the theme of human migration is becoming increasingly diverse all over the world.

Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), IOM is committed to realizing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) — the first intergovernmentally negotiated agreement under the United Nations to address all aspects of international migration. We carry out our activities guided by GCM’s core objective of promoting safe, orderly, and regular migration as our mission.

In 1981, IOM Tokyo was established primarily to support family reunification for Indochinese refugees. In addition to fostering strong cooperation with Japan as our important partner, we are actively addressing migration-related challenges within the country. This includes counter-trafficking measures and third-country resettlement for refugees—highlighting the uniqueness of IOM’s work in Japan.

As it faces the challenges of an aging society and labor shortages, Japan is a key stakeholder in global human migration. IOM is committed to working together with a broad range of partners in Japan—including the government, private sector actors, civil society, academia, the media, and individuals. IOM Tokyo aims to contribute to shaping a society where people on the move enrich both themselves and the local communities, economically, socially, and culturally.