Germany vs Japan: Trade union density rate

Germany
16.25
in 2019
Japan
16.8
in 2019
Germany rank
48th
Japan rank
47th

Trade union density rate over time

  • Germany
  • Japan
0510152025200020092019

How they compare

Japan currently reports 16.8 against 16.25 in Germany, a difference of 0.55.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 20 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Germany ahead.

Germany ranks 48th and Japan ranks 47th of 86 countries.

Across the 2 decades both report, Germany averaged higher in 1 and Japan in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Germany Japan Difference Ahead
2000s 21.62 19.38 2.24 Germany
2010s 17.51 17.65 0.149 Japan

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher trade union density rate, Germany or Japan?
Japan, at 16.8 against 16.25 in Germany as of 2019.
What is the difference in trade union density rate between Germany and Japan?
0.55, with Japan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and Japan?
20 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2019.
How do Germany and Japan rank globally for trade union density rate?
Germany ranks 48th and Japan ranks 47th of 86 countries.
Where does this data come from?
International Labour Organization, published as Trade union density rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Germany vs Japan: Trade union density rate. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/compare/trade-union-density-rate/germany/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Trade union density rate
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
86 places, 1,182 data points, 2000–2020
Last refreshed

A trade union is defined as a workers' organization constituted for the purpose of furthering and defending the interests of workers. This trade union density rate conveys the number of union members who are employees as a percentage of the total number of employees. For the purpose of this indicator in particular, trade union membership excludes union members who are not in paid employment (self-employed, unemployed, retired, etc.), unless otherwise stated in the notes. The statistics presented in this table result from an ILO data compilation effort (including an annual questionnaire and numerous special enquiries), with contributions from J. Visser. For more information, refer to the Industrial Relations data (IRdata) database description.