Annual working hours per worker in Japan
Japan: Annual working hours per worker was 1,654 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1,654
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
97th
of 130 countries
All-time high
2,224
in 1961
All-time low
1,646
in 2020
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Annual working hours per worker in Japan, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Japan recorded 1,654 for annual working hours per worker in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual working hours per worker in Japan peaked at 2,224 in 1961 and was at its lowest, 1,646, in 2020.
That places Japan 97th out of 130 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Annual working hours per worker in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,076 | — |
| 1951 | 2,058 | -0.9% |
| 1952 | 2,041 | -0.9% |
| 1953 | 2,023 | -0.9% |
| 1954 | 2,054 | +1.5% |
| 1955 | 2,080 | +1.3% |
| 1956 | 2,132 | +2.5% |
| 1957 | 2,155 | +1.1% |
| 1958 | 2,181 | +1.2% |
| 1959 | 2,205 | +1.1% |
| 1960 | 2,222 | +0.8% |
| 1961 | 2,224 | +0.1% |
| 1962 | 2,201 | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 2,195 | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 2,202 | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 2,183 | -0.9% |
| 1966 | 2,191 | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 2,205 | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 2,209 | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 2,195 | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 2,185 | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 2,177 | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 2,180 | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 2,165 | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 2,105 | -2.8% |
| 1975 | 2,076 | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 2,104 | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 2,110 | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 2,114 | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 2,119 | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 2,121 | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 2,111 | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 2,106 | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 2,102 | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 2,115 | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 2,097 | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 2,095 | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 2,101 | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 2,103 | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 2,077 | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 2,049 | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 2,003 | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 1,960 | -2.1% |
| 1993 | 1,906 | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 1,897 | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 1,899 | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 1,903 | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 1,875 | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 1,855 | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 1,839 | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 1,847 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 1,831 | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 1,819 | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 1,823 | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 1,831 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 1,819 | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 1,827 | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 1,818 | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 1,798 | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 1,754 | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 1,773 | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 1,769 | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 1,781 | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 1,763 | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 1,760 | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 1,752 | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 1,746 | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 1,745 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 1,725 | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 1,688 | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 1,646 | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 1,651 | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 1,652 | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 1,654 | +0.1% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 1,654 is below the median for high income countries, which is 1,668, 99% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
- Japan's 1,654 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2,169, 76% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2,101 | 2,023 | 2,205 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2,203 | 2,183 | 2,224 | 10 |
| 1970s | 2,134 | 2,076 | 2,185 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,103 | 2,077 | 2,121 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,919 | 1,839 | 2,049 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,817 | 1,754 | 1,847 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,750 | 1,688 | 1,781 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,651 | 1,646 | 1,654 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More work & labour data for Japan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5262 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4728 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.25 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.4618 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 103,039 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,756 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 39,867 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 36,979 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 76,846 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual working hours per worker in Japan?
- Annual working hours per worker in Japan was 1,654 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual working hours per worker recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 2,224 in 1961.
- What is the lowest annual working hours per worker recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,646 in 2020.
- How does Japan rank for annual working hours per worker?
- Japan ranks 97th out of 130 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual working hours per worker rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Annual working hours per worker. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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