Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Japan
Japan: Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 was 55.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
55.1%
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
62nd
of 172 countries
All-time high
55.1%
in 2025
All-time low
45.0%
in 1975
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Japan, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Japan stood at 55.1%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 15.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Japan peaked at 55.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 45.0%, in 1975.
That places Japan 62nd out of 172 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 53.6% | — |
| 1961 | 53.5% | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 52.6% | -1.7% |
| 1963 | 51.3% | -2.5% |
| 1964 | 50.4% | -1.7% |
| 1965 | 50.0% | -0.9% |
| 1966 | 50.2% | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 50.4% | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 50.1% | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 49.6% | -1.0% |
| 1970 | 49.3% | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 48.2% | -2.2% |
| 1972 | 47.1% | -2.3% |
| 1973 | 47.6% | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 45.9% | -3.6% |
| 1975 | 45.0% | -2.1% |
| 1976 | 45.0% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 45.8% | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 46.4% | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 46.7% | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 46.7% | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 46.7% | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 46.9% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 47.7% | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 47.5% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 47.4% | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 47.2% | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 47.2% | -0.0% |
| 1988 | 47.6% | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 48.3% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 49.0% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 49.5% | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 49.6% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 49.0% | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 48.7% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 48.4% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 48.3% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 48.6% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 48.1% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 47.4% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 47.1% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 46.8% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 46.1% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 45.9% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 46.1% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 46.3% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 46.6% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 46.6% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 46.6% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 46.2% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 46.2% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 46.1% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 46.1% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 47.0% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 47.6% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 47.9% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 48.8% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 49.7% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 51.2% | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 52.1% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 51.8% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 52.1% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 52.9% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 53.5% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 54.2% | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 55.1% | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 51.2% | 49.6% | 53.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 46.7% | 45.0% | 49.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 47.3% | 46.7% | 48.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.7% | 47.4% | 49.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.4% | 45.9% | 47.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.3% | 46.1% | 52.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.3% | 51.8% | 55.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 59 Lithuania 55.2% compare
- 60 Georgia 55.2% compare
- 61 Russian Federation 55.2% compare
- 63 Germany 54.9% compare
- 64 United States of America 54.9% compare
- 65 Luxembourg 54.6% 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 female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Japan?
- Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Japan was 55.1% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 55.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.0% in 1975.
- How does Japan rank for female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024?
- Japan ranks 62nd out of 172 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are employed. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.