Labor force participation rate in Japan

Japan: Labor force participation rate was 63.4% in 2025. ▬ Flat

Latest (2025)
63.4%
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
80th
of 186 countries
All-time high
64.0%
in 1992
All-time low
59.0%
in 2012
Years of data
36
1990–2025

Labor force participation rate in Japan, 1990–2025

02040601990200720251990: 63.4 %1991: 63.8 %1992: 64 %1993: 63.8 %1994: 63.6 %1995: 63.4 %1996: 63.5 %1997: 63.7 %1998: 63.3 %1999: 62.8 %2000: 62.4 %2001: 62 %2002: 61.2 %2003: 60.8 %2004: 60.4 %2005: 60.4 %2006: 60.4 %2007: 60.4 %2008: 60.2 %2009: 59.9 %2010: 59.6 %2011: 59.2 %2012: 59 %2013: 59.2 %2014: 59.4 %2015: 59.5 %2016: 60 %2017: 60.4 %2018: 61.4 %2019: 62 %2020: 61.9 %2021: 62.1 %2022: 62.5 %2023: 62.9 %2024: 63.3 %2025: 63.4 %

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Japan recorded 63.4% for labor force participation rate in 2025.

That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 6.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Japan peaked at 64.0% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 59.0%, in 2012.

Japan ranks 80th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 63.5% 62.8% 64.0% 10
2000s 60.8% 59.9% 62.4% 10
2010s 60.0% 59.0% 62.0% 10
2020s 62.7% 61.9% 63.4% 6

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 77 Haiti 63.9% compare
  2. 78 Rwanda 63.7% compare
  3. 79 Maldives 63.5% compare
  4. 81 Colombia 63.4% compare
  5. 82 Azerbaijan 63.3% compare
  6. 83 Brazil 63.1% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More work & labour data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force participation rate in Japan?
Labor force participation rate in Japan was 63.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 64.0% in 1992.
What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 59.0% in 2012.
How does Japan rank for labor force participation rate?
Japan ranks 80th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is up 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force participation rate
Unit
%
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,682 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).