Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Japan
Japan: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 63.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
63.8%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
88th
of 199 countries
All-time high
69.2%
in 1960
All-time low
59.0%
in 2012
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Japan, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Japan stood at 63.8%.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Japan peaked at 69.2% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 59.0%, in 2012.
Japan ranks 88th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 69.2% | — |
| 1961 | 69.1% | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 68.3% | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 67.1% | -1.8% |
| 1964 | 66.1% | -1.5% |
| 1965 | 65.7% | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 65.8% | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 65.9% | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 65.9% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 65.5% | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 65.4% | -0.2% |
| 1971 | 65.0% | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 64.4% | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 64.7% | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 63.7% | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 63.0% | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 63.2% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 63.4% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 63.4% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 63.3% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 63.3% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 63.3% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 63.8% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 63.4% | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 63.0% | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 62.8% | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 62.6% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 62.6% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 62.9% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 63.3% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 63.8% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 64.0% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 63.8% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 63.6% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 63.4% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 63.5% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 63.7% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 63.3% | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 62.9% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 62.4% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 62.0% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 61.2% | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 60.8% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 60.4% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 60.4% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 60.4% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 60.4% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 60.2% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 59.9% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 59.6% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 59.2% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 59.0% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 59.2% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 59.4% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 59.5% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 60.0% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 60.4% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 61.4% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 62.0% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 61.9% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 62.1% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 62.5% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 62.8% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 63.3% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 63.8% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 66.9% | 65.5% | 69.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 63.9% | 63.0% | 65.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 63.1% | 62.6% | 63.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 63.5% | 62.9% | 64.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.8% | 59.9% | 62.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.0% | 59.0% | 62.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.7% | 61.9% | 63.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 85 Brunei Darussalam 64.3% compare
- 86 Turks and Caicos Islands 64.0% compare
- 87 Colombia 64.0% compare
- 88 Aruba 63.8% compare
- 90 Montenegro 63.7% compare
- 91 Maldives 63.6% 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 labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Japan?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Japan was 63.8% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 69.2% in 1960.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.0% in 2012.
- How does Japan rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Japan ranks 88th out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.