Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Japan
Japan: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 7.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Japan, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Japan recorded 7.5% for share of workers in vulnerable employment in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Japan peaked at 17.7% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 7.5%, in 2025.
Japan ranks 165th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.4% | 13.8% | 17.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.6% | 10.0% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.8% | 8.1% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.9% | 7.5% | 8.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More work & labour data for Japan
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 55.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 77.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 82.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 87.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 51.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 49.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 52.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Japan?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Japan was 7.5% 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 share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 17.7% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.5% in 2025.
- How does Japan rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Japan ranks 165th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Share of workers in vulnerable employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).