Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force in Japan
Japan: Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force was 39,622 Persons in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force in Japan, 1955–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
Japan recorded 39,622 Persons for population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and down 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in Japan peaked at 45,425 Persons in 2012 and was at its lowest, 17,230 Persons, in 1955.
Japan ranks 4th of 33 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 71 years of available data.
Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force in Japan, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | 17,230 Persons | — |
| 1956 | 17,756 Persons | +3.1% |
| 1957 | 18,061 Persons | +1.7% |
| 1958 | 19,009 Persons | +5.3% |
| 1959 | 19,830 Persons | +4.3% |
| 1960 | 19,979 Persons | +0.8% |
| 1961 | 20,327 Persons | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 21,376 Persons | +5.2% |
| 1963 | 22,822 Persons | +6.8% |
| 1964 | 24,079 Persons | +5.5% |
| 1965 | 24,967 Persons | +3.7% |
| 1966 | 25,372 Persons | +1.6% |
| 1967 | 25,702 Persons | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 26,085 Persons | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 26,746 Persons | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 27,230 Persons | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 27,810 Persons | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 28,678 Persons | +3.1% |
| 1973 | 28,928 Persons | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 30,074 Persons | +4.0% |
| 1975 | 30,955 Persons | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 31,386 Persons | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 31,574 Persons | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 31,694 Persons | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 31,995 Persons | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 32,492 Persons | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 32,790 Persons | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 33,092 Persons | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 33,052 Persons | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 33,727 Persons | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 34,502 Persons | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 35,129 Persons | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 35,843 Persons | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 36,346 Persons | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 36,548 Persons | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 36,574 Persons | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 36,491 Persons | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 36,792 Persons | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 37,399 Persons | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 37,908 Persons | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 38,363 Persons | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 38,516 Persons | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 38,630 Persons | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 39,246 Persons | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 39,892 Persons | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 40,568 Persons | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 41,252 Persons | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 42,289 Persons | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 42,848 Persons | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 43,355 Persons | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 43,457 Persons | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 43,581 Persons | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 43,751 Persons | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 44,069 Persons | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 44,460 Persons | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 44,730 Persons | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 45,178 Persons | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 45,425 Persons | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 45,100 Persons | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 44,943 Persons | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 44,795 Persons | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 44,303 Persons | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 43,786 Persons | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 42,582 Persons | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 41,908 Persons | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 41,968 Persons | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 41,712 Persons | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 41,280 Persons | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 40,844 Persons | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 40,311 Persons | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 39,622 Persons | -1.7% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 39,622 Persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 3,454 Persons, 11.5× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 18,377 Persons | 17,230 Persons | 19,830 Persons | 5 |
| 1960s | 23,746 Persons | 19,979 Persons | 26,746 Persons | 10 |
| 1970s | 30,032 Persons | 27,230 Persons | 31,995 Persons | 10 |
| 1980s | 34,352 Persons | 32,492 Persons | 36,548 Persons | 10 |
| 1990s | 37,981 Persons | 36,491 Persons | 39,892 Persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 42,963 Persons | 40,568 Persons | 44,460 Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 44,275 Persons | 41,908 Persons | 45,425 Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 40,956 Persons | 39,622 Persons | 41,968 Persons | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 1 OECD 444,834 Persons compare
- 2 United States 100,465 Persons compare
- 3 Mexico 41,805 Persons compare
- 3 Croatia 1,520 Persons compare
- 4 Türkiye 30,855 Persons compare
- 5 Germany 27,503 Persons compare
- 5 Poland 12,858 Persons compare
- 6 Italy 25,790 Persons compare
- 6 Netherlands 4,701 Persons compare
- 7 France 23,942 Persons compare
- 7 Lithuania 919.6 Persons 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 population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in Japan?
- Population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in Japan was 39,622 Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 45,425 Persons in 2012.
- What is the lowest population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 17,230 Persons in 1955.
- How does Japan rank for population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force?
- Japan ranks 4th out of 33 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the outside the labour force population is a subset of the infra-annual labour statistics database, which contains predominantly monthly and quarterly statistics on the outside the labour force population by age groups (15+, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 15-64 and 15-74 where available) and sex and associated statistical methodological information and associated statistical methodological information, for the OECD member countries and for selected other economies. The persons outside the labour force comprise all persons of working age who, during the specified reference period, were not in the labour force (that is, were not employed or unemployed). The infra-annual labour statistics compiled for all OECD member countries, are drawn from Labour Force Surveys based on definition provided by the 19th Conference of Labour Statisticians in 2013. The uniform application of these definitions across all OECD member countries results in estimates that are internationally comparable.