Labour force: ICLS13) (15+) … previous ICLS13 15+ in Japan
Japan: Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) was 63.8 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Japan, 1947–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
Japan recorded 63.8 for labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in 2025.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Japan peaked at 70.8 in 1955 and was at its lowest, 43.52, in 1947.
Japan ranks 91st of 210 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 75 years of available data.
Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 43.52 | — |
| 1950 | 67.54 | +55.2% |
| 1953 | 70 | +3.6% |
| 1954 | 69.8 | -0.3% |
| 1955 | 70.8 | +1.4% |
| 1956 | 70.5 | -0.4% |
| 1957 | 70.7 | +0.3% |
| 1958 | 69.7 | -1.4% |
| 1959 | 69 | -1.0% |
| 1960 | 69.2 | +0.3% |
| 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 | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 64.4 | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 64.7 | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 63.7 | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 63 | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 63 | +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 | -0.6% |
| 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 | +0.3% |
| 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 | 62.44 | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 61.99 | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 61.23 | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 60.77 | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 60.42 | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 60.42 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 60.42 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 60.4 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 60.16 | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 59.86 | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 59.58 | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 59.25 | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 59.01 | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 59.24 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 59.44 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 59.5 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 59.99 | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 60.44 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 61.45 | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 62.01 | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 61.95 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 62.05 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 62.5 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 62.81 | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 63.3 | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 63.8 | +0.8% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 63.8 is above the median for high income countries, which is 63.11, 1.0× the median. (80 countries reporting)
- Japan's 63.8 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 63.2, 1.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +55.2% | 43.52 | 67.54 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 43.52 | 43.52 | 43.52 | 1 |
| 1950s | 69.76 | 67.54 | 70.8 | 8 |
| 1960s | 66.86 | 65.5 | 69.2 | 10 |
| 1970s | 63.92 | 63 | 65.4 | 10 |
| 1980s | 63.1 | 62.6 | 63.8 | 10 |
| 1990s | 63.53 | 62.9 | 64 | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.81 | 59.86 | 62.44 | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.99 | 59.01 | 62.01 | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.73 | 61.95 | 63.8 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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 labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Japan?
- Labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Japan was 63.8 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 70.8 in 1955.
- What is the lowest labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.52 in 1947.
- How does Japan rank for labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13)?
- Japan ranks 91st out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) 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 International Labour Organization, published as part of Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. The labour force participation rate is the labour force as a percent of the working-age population. The labour force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed. For more information, refer to the Labour Force Statistics (LFS and STLFS) database description.