Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked in Japan
Japan: Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked was 1,598 Hours per year per person in 2025. ▼ Falling
Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked in Japan, 1970–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Hours per year per person.
Analysis
In 2025, average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked in Japan stood at 1,598 Hours per year per person.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked in Japan peaked at 2,243 Hours per year per person in 1970 and was at its lowest, 1,597 Hours per year per person, in 2020.
Japan ranks 24th of 36 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked in Japan, year by year
| Year | Hours per year per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2,243 Hours per year per person | — |
| 1971 | 2,239 Hours per year per person | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 2,228 Hours per year per person | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 2,201 Hours per year per person | -1.2% |
| 1974 | 2,137 Hours per year per person | -2.9% |
| 1975 | 2,112 Hours per year per person | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 2,128 Hours per year per person | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 2,129 Hours per year per person | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 2,123 Hours per year per person | -0.3% |
| 1979 | 2,126 Hours per year per person | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 2,121 Hours per year per person | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 2,106 Hours per year per person | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 2,104 Hours per year per person | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 2,095 Hours per year per person | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 2,108 Hours per year per person | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 2,093 Hours per year per person | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 2,097 Hours per year per person | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 2,096 Hours per year per person | -0.0% |
| 1988 | 2,092 Hours per year per person | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 2,070 Hours per year per person | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 2,031 Hours per year per person | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 1,998 Hours per year per person | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 1,965 Hours per year per person | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 1,905 Hours per year per person | -3.1% |
| 1994 | 1,898 Hours per year per person | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 1,884 Hours per year per person | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 1,892 Hours per year per person | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 1,865 Hours per year per person | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 1,842 Hours per year per person | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 1,810 Hours per year per person | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 1,821 Hours per year per person | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 1,809 Hours per year per person | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 1,798 Hours per year per person | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 1,799 Hours per year per person | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 1,785 Hours per year per person | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 1,777 Hours per year per person | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 1,786 Hours per year per person | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 1,785 Hours per year per person | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 1,771 Hours per year per person | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 1,714 Hours per year per person | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 1,733 Hours per year per person | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 1,728 Hours per year per person | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 1,745 Hours per year per person | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 1,734 Hours per year per person | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 1,729 Hours per year per person | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 1,719 Hours per year per person | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 1,714 Hours per year per person | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 1,709 Hours per year per person | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 1,680 Hours per year per person | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 1,644 Hours per year per person | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 1,597 Hours per year per person | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 1,607 Hours per year per person | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 1,607 Hours per year per person | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 1,611 Hours per year per person | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 1,617 Hours per year per person | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 1,598 Hours per year per person | -1.2% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 1,598 Hours per year per person is below the median for high income countries, which is 1,640 Hours per year per person, 97% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2,167 Hours per year per person | 2,112 Hours per year per person | 2,243 Hours per year per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,098 Hours per year per person | 2,070 Hours per year per person | 2,121 Hours per year per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,909 Hours per year per person | 1,810 Hours per year per person | 2,031 Hours per year per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,784 Hours per year per person | 1,714 Hours per year per person | 1,821 Hours per year per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,714 Hours per year per person | 1,644 Hours per year per person | 1,745 Hours per year per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,606 Hours per year per person | 1,597 Hours per year per person | 1,617 Hours per year per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 21 Ireland 1,639 Hours per year per person compare
- 22 Australia 1,633 Hours per year per person compare
- 23 Spain 1,633 Hours per year per person compare
- 25 Belgium 1,586 Hours per year per person compare
- 26 United Kingdom 1,533 Hours per year per person compare
- 27 Switzerland 1,512 Hours per year per person compare
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 average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked in Japan?
- Average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked in Japan was 1,598 Hours per year per person in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 2,243 Hours per year per person in 1970.
- What is the lowest average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,597 Hours per year per person in 2020.
- How does Japan rank for average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked?
- Japan ranks 24th out of 36 countries with data for 2025.
- Is average annual hours actually worked per worker — hours worked rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.