Unemployment rate in Japan
Japan: Unemployment rate was 2.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Japan, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Japan stood at 2.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 27.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Japan peaked at 5.4% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 1991.
That places Japan 163rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 | 3.1% | 2.1% | 4.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.7% | 3.9% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.6% | 2.4% | 5.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 161 Guatemala 2.6% compare
- 162 Papua New Guinea 2.6% compare
- 164 Macao 2.3% compare
- 165 Cote d'Ivoire 2.3% compare
- 166 Philippines 2.2% compare
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, total (% of total population ages 15+) 63.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 71.5% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 78.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 55.9% (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, female (% of female population ages 15 77.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Japan?
- Unemployment rate in Japan was 2.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 5.4% in 2002.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 1991.
- How does Japan rank for unemployment rate?
- Japan ranks 163rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. 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 the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.