Understanding Japanese labor statistics can be crucial for job seekers, business owners, and researchers. The Japanese government provides a wealth of labor-related data through various sources, allowing you to analyze employment trends, wages, working hours, and demographic shifts. Here’s how you can explore and utilize this data effectively.
- Key Sources for Japanese Labor Statistics
Several government agencies provide official labor data:
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) (Website)
Publishes reports on employment conditions, wages, and labor policies.
Notable reports: Labor Force Survey, Employment Status Survey.
Statistics Bureau of Japan (Website)
Provides macroeconomic labor market data, including unemployment rates and job openings.
Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training (JILPT) (Website)
Conducts research on labor trends and policy impacts.
Rōdō Kijun Kantokusho (Labor Standards Inspection Office)
Oversees compliance with labor laws and workplace conditions.
- How to Access and Analyze the Data
Visit the official websites and navigate to the "Statistics" or "Reports" sections.
Use online databases like e-Stat (https://www.e-stat.go.jp/en) to filter and download datasets.
For English translations, check the English pages of government websites, though some detailed reports are only available in Japanese. - Tips for Effective Exploration
Use Google Translate or browser translation features for Japanese-only data.
Compare multiple datasets to identify trends (e.g., wage growth vs. working hours).
Follow MHLW and JILPT’s social media or newsletters for updates on labor policies.
By leveraging these resources, you can gain valuable insights into Japan’s labor market, whether for job market research, policymaking, or academic studies. Happy exploring!
Labor Force （労働力）
68.11million <Statistics Bureau, Japan>
The labor force population (the population aged 15 and over, including the unemployed and the unemployed) as of 1st Dec 2024.
Stat,Japan
Umemployment Rate （失業率）
2.4％ (Dec.2024) <Statistics Bureau, Japan>
Stat,Japan
Working Culture （働く文化）
- High Context
- Consensus Base
- Mono-chronic
Average Salary (平均給与）
4.43 million yen (2021/ up 2.4% year-on-year, up 102,000 yen).
Nta.go.jp
4.99 million yen(2020/Manager Male)
Working Rules （労働法）
Legal limits on working hours：8 hours a day 40 hours a week
As a general rule, the upper limit of overtime work (excluding holiday work) is 45 hours a month and 360 hours a year. This cannot be exceeded without extraordinary special circumstances.
Legal holidays: At least once a week
Paid day off: If they have been working for more than half a year since they were hired and have worked more than 80% of all working days, the number of days granted is 10 days.
The "minimum wage by region (Tokyo）" 1,113 yen (hourly) on a national average. (Oct 2023)
Percentage of women in executive / managerial positions（女性管理職比率）
Department Manager level 12% (Oct 2022)
課長相当以上の女性管理職がいる企業割合は約53％で、管理職に占める女性割合は約12％（国内トピックス：ビジネス・レーバー・トレンド 2022年10月号）｜労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）
Job turnover rate（離職率）
13.9％ (2021)
The university / junior college enrollment rate（大学進学率）
60.4% (2022 / up 1.5 points from the previous year)
令和4年学校基本調査確報報道発表資料 (mext.go.jp)
