Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Japan
Japan: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 78.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Japan, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Japan stood at 78.2%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Japan peaked at 78.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 64.4%, in 1996.
That places Japan 102nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 64.8% | — |
| 1991 | 65.3% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 65.0% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 64.5% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 64.5% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 64.4% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 64.4% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 64.8% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 64.8% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 64.5% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 64.4% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 64.9% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 64.9% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 65.1% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 65.7% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 66.0% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 66.2% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 66.2% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 66.6% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 67.3% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 67.6% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 67.7% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 68.0% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 69.2% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 69.9% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 70.4% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 71.4% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 72.4% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 73.7% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 74.7% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 74.4% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 75.1% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 75.9% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 76.8% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 77.8% | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 78.2% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 64.7% | 64.4% | 65.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.7% | 64.4% | 67.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.5% | 67.6% | 74.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.4% | 74.4% | 78.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 99 Thailand 78.6% compare
- 100 Montenegro 78.3% compare
- 101 Equatorial Guinea 78.2% compare
- 103 Uruguay 78.0% compare
- 104 Malta 78.0% compare
- 105 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 77.6% 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 ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Japan?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Japan was 78.2% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 78.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.4% in 1996.
- How does Japan rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- Japan ranks 102nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This ratio is calculated by dividing the labor force participation rate among women by the corresponding rate for men. The labor force participation rate is the share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).