Ireland vs Japan: Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked
Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked over time
- Ireland
- Japan
How they compare
Ireland currently reports 1,639 Hours per year per person against 1,598 Hours per year per person in Japan, a difference of 41 Hours per year per person.
The two have swapped places 6 times across 56 shared years of data; in 1970 it was Ireland ahead.
Ireland ranks 21st and Japan ranks 24th of 36 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 4 and Japan in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | Japan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2,206 Hours per year per person | 2,167 Hours per year per person | 39.37 Hours per year per person | Ireland |
| 1980s | 2,043 Hours per year per person | 2,098 Hours per year per person | 55.03 Hours per year per person | Japan |
| 1990s | 1,958 Hours per year per person | 1,909 Hours per year per person | 48.88 Hours per year per person | Ireland |
| 2000s | 1,803 Hours per year per person | 1,784 Hours per year per person | 18.12 Hours per year per person | Ireland |
| 2010s | 1,713 Hours per year per person | 1,714 Hours per year per person | 0.275 Hours per year per person | Japan |
| 2020s | 1,651 Hours per year per person | 1,606 Hours per year per person | 44.83 Hours per year per person | Ireland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked, Ireland or Japan?
- Ireland, at 1,639 Hours per year per person against 1,598 Hours per year per person in Japan as of 2025.
- What is the difference in average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked between Ireland and Japan?
- 41 Hours per year per person, with Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and Japan?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do Ireland and Japan rank globally for average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked?
- Ireland ranks 21st and Japan ranks 24th of 36 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The concept used is the total number of hours worked over the year divided by the average number of people in employment. The data are intended for comparisons of trends over time; they are unsuitable for comparisons of the level of average annual hours of work for a given year, because of differences in their sources. Part-time workers are covered as well as full-time workers. Detailed notes and sources can be found in LFS_NOTES_SOURCES. In order to facilitate analysis and comparisons over time, historical data for OECD members have been provided over as long a period as possible, often even before a country became a member of the Organisation. Information on the membership dates of all OECD countries can be found at OECD Ratification Dates.