Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Japan
Japan: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 3.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
3.8%
Change on year
down 5.0%
World rank
150th
of 160 countries
All-time high
10.2%
in 2003
All-time low
1.8%
in 1968
Years of data
58
1968–2025
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Japan, 1968–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Japan recorded 3.8% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
The figure is down 5.0% on the previous year and down 30.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Japan peaked at 10.2% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 1968.
Japan ranks 150th of 160 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 58 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 1.8% | — |
| 1969 | 1.9% | +5.6% |
| 1970 | 2.0% | +5.3% |
| 1971 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 2.5% | +25.0% |
| 1973 | 2.2% | -12.0% |
| 1974 | 2.4% | +9.1% |
| 1975 | 3.1% | +29.2% |
| 1976 | 3.1% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 3.5% | +12.9% |
| 1978 | 3.8% | +8.6% |
| 1979 | 3.7% | -2.6% |
| 1980 | 3.6% | -2.7% |
| 1981 | 3.9% | +8.3% |
| 1982 | 4.4% | +12.8% |
| 1983 | 4.5% | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 4.9% | +8.9% |
| 1985 | 4.8% | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 5.2% | +8.3% |
| 1987 | 5.2% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 4.9% | -5.8% |
| 1989 | 4.6% | -6.1% |
| 1990 | 4.3% | -6.5% |
| 1991 | 4.5% | +4.7% |
| 1992 | 4.4% | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 5.0% | +13.6% |
| 1994 | 5.6% | +12.0% |
| 1995 | 6.1% | +8.9% |
| 1996 | 6.6% | +8.2% |
| 1997 | 6.7% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 7.7% | +14.9% |
| 1999 | 9.1% | +18.2% |
| 2000 | 9.2% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 9.6% | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 10.0% | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 10.2% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 9.5% | -6.2% |
| 2005 | 8.7% | -9.0% |
| 2006 | 8.3% | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 7.8% | -5.2% |
| 2008 | 7.3% | -7.1% |
| 2009 | 9.2% | +25.9% |
| 2010 | 9.4% | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 8.3% | -12.0% |
| 2012 | 8.2% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 6.8% | -17.3% |
| 2014 | 6.3% | -7.5% |
| 2015 | 5.5% | -13.1% |
| 2016 | 5.1% | -6.5% |
| 2017 | 4.6% | -9.9% |
| 2018 | 3.7% | -20.5% |
| 2019 | 3.9% | +7.3% |
| 2020 | 4.7% | +18.9% |
| 2021 | 4.7% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 4.4% | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 4.0% | -9.2% |
| 2024 | 4.0% | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 3.8% | -5.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 3.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 13.9%, 27% of the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Japan's 3.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 8.0%, 47% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 2 |
| 1970s | 2.8% | 2.0% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.6% | 3.6% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.0% | 4.3% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.0% | 7.3% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.2% | 3.7% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.3% | 3.8% | 4.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Japan?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Japan was 3.8% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 10.2% in 2003.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1968.
- How does Japan rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Japan ranks 150th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 58 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.