Employment in services (% of total employment) in Japan
Japan: Employment in services (% of total employment) was 74.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Japan, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Japan recorded 74.0% for employment in services (% of total employment) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in Japan peaked at 74.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 59.5%, in 1991.
That places Japan 42nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 59.5% | — |
| 1992 | 59.7% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 60.5% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 60.9% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 61.5% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 62.0% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 62.3% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 63.4% | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 63.8% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 64.1% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 65.1% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 66.2% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 66.3% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 67.2% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 67.8% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 67.9% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 68.1% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 68.7% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 69.3% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 70.1% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 70.4% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 70.6% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 70.9% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 71.1% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 71.3% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 71.7% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 71.8% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 72.0% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 72.4% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 72.8% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 73.1% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 73.3% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 73.3% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 73.8% | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 74.0% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 61.5% | 59.5% | 63.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 67.1% | 64.1% | 69.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.2% | 70.1% | 72.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.4% | 72.8% | 74.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 39 Saudi Arabia 74.4% compare
- 40 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 74.4% compare
- 41 Dominican Republic 74.0% compare
- 43 South Africa 73.8% compare
- 44 Kuwait 73.5% compare
- 45 Uruguay 73.2% 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 employment in services (% of total employment) in Japan?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in Japan was 74.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 74.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.5% in 1991.
- How does Japan rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- Japan ranks 42nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The services sector consists of wholesale and retail trade and restaurants and hotels; transport, storage, and communications; financing, insurance, real estate, and business services; and community, social, and personal services, in accordance with divisions 6-9 (ISIC 2) or categories G-Q (ISIC 3) or categories G-U (ISIC 4).