Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Japan
Japan: Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment was 15.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Japan, 2000–2025
Source: United Nations Industrial Development Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Japan recorded 15.1% for manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Japan peaked at 20.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 14.3%, in 2021.
Japan ranks 32nd of 152 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 20.6% | — |
| 2001 | 20.1% | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 19.3% | -4.0% |
| 2003 | 19.1% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 18.7% | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 18.5% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 18.7% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 18.7% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 18.4% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 17.1% | -7.2% |
| 2010 | 16.8% | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 16.7% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 16.5% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 16.5% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 16.4% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 16.3% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 16.1% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 16.1% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 14.8% | -8.3% |
| 2019 | 14.7% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 14.4% | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 14.3% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 14.4% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 15.6% | +8.5% |
| 2024 | 15.4% | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 15.1% | -1.9% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 15.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.5%, 1.6× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Japan's 15.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 8.6%, 1.8× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18.9% | 17.1% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.1% | 14.7% | 16.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.9% | 14.3% | 15.6% | 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 manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Japan?
- Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in Japan was 15.1% in 2025, according to United Nations Industrial Development Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 20.6% in 2000.
- What is the lowest manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.3% in 2021.
- How does Japan rank for manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment?
- Japan ranks 32nd out of 152 countries with data for 2025.
- Is manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Industrial Development Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment - 13th ICLS (%).