The number of Japanese women living abroad exceeded the corresponding number for Japanese men as of October last year, according to recent statistics released by the Foreign Ministry.
It was the first time more Japanese women than men were recorded living in a foreign country since the ministry first conducted its annual survey of Japanese expatriates in 1976, officials said.
According to survey, as of Oct. 1 the total number of Japanese living abroad -- permanent residents and those staying for a period of three months or more -- rose an annual 0.8 percent to a record 795,800. Of that figure, the number of women stood at about 402,500 and that of men at about 393,200.
The number of women has been larger in recent years in areas such as Oceania, North America and Western Europe.
"In the past, most Japanese women (living abroad) were accompanying their husbands on overseas assignment, but now there is a growing number of women who go overseas alone for work," said an official of the ministry's Consular and Migration Affairs Department.
The United States was home to the largest number of Japanese expats with about 293,600, followed by Brazil with about 79,500, Britain with roughly 55,200, China with about 43,900 and Australia with approximately 33,100.
By city, New York has the largest population of Japanese, with about 58,300, followed by Los Angeles and London.