Unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Japan
Japan: Unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group was 3.24 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Japan, 1997–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup.
Analysis
Japan recorded 3.24 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup for unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in 2025.
The figure is down 6.8% on the previous year and down 30.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Japan peaked at 6.34 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2002 and was at its lowest, 3.18 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup, in 2018.
That places Japan 35th out of 37 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Japan, year by year
| Year | Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 3.97 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | — |
| 1998 | 4.07 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 5.52 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +35.7% |
| 2000 | 5.72 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 5.67 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 6.34 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +11.8% |
| 2003 | 6.23 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 5.74 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -8.0% |
| 2005 | 5.68 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 5.19 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -8.7% |
| 2007 | 4.93 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -5.0% |
| 2008 | 5.14 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 6.31 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +22.7% |
| 2010 | 6.19 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 5.66 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -8.6% |
| 2012 | 5.45 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 5.39 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 4.5 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -16.6% |
| 2015 | 4.68 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 4.1 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -12.3% |
| 2017 | 3.6 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -12.2% |
| 2018 | 3.18 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -11.7% |
| 2019 | 3.21 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 3.24 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 3.24 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 3.37 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +4.0% |
| 2023 | 3.61 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +7.3% |
| 2024 | 3.48 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -3.7% |
| 2025 | 3.24 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -6.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.52 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 3.97 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 5.52 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 3 |
| 2000s | 5.69 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 4.93 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 6.34 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.59 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 3.18 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 6.19 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.36 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 3.24 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 3.61 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 32 Iceland 3.81 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 33 Indonesia 3.57 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 34 Mexico 3.41 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 36 Czechia 3 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 37 Australia 2.37 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup 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 unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Japan?
- Unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Japan was 3.24 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 6.34 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2002.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.18 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2018.
- How does Japan rank for unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group?
- Japan ranks 35th out of 37 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and gender. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This dataset contains data on unemployment rates by educational attainment level, age group and gender. The default table displays 2025 data (or the latest available year) on the unemployment rates of 25-64 year-olds with below upper secondary, upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary, or tertiary attainment. The selection can be changed to display data by more detailed educational attainment level, by programme orientation, by gender and by age group. Filter the time period to display historical data. Data for the latest available year are preliminary. Final data will be released on September 29, 2026. For more information, please consult the Education at a Glance web page and the OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics: Concepts, Standards, Definitions and Classifications.