Japan — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Japan, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Japan was 63.45% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 63.99% in 1992. The lowest was 59.01% in 2012 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.00% per year.
Japan ranks 80 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 43%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 64.35%, so Japan sits below it. It peaked in 1992 and has fallen 1% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 7%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 17 of 29 economies; Guam (62.27%) is just below it. That is 3% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 63.45% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 63.3% | +0.4 pp |
| 2023 | 62.9% | +0.4 pp |
| 2022 | 62.5% | +0.4 pp |
| 2021 | 62.05% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 61.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 62.01% | +0.6 pp |
| 2018 | 61.45% | +1.0 pp |
| 2017 | 60.44% | +0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 59.99% | +0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 59.5% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 59.44% | +0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 59.25% | +0.2 pp |
| 2012 | 59.01% | -0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 59.25% | -0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 59.58% | -0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 59.86% | -0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 60.16% | -0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 60.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 60.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 60.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 60.42% | -0.3 pp |
| 2003 | 60.77% | -0.5 pp |
| 2002 | 61.23% | -0.8 pp |
| 2001 | 61.99% | -0.4 pp |
| 2000 | 62.44% | -0.4 pp |
| 1999 | 62.85% | -0.5 pp |
| 1998 | 63.33% | -0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 63.67% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 63.49% | +0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 63.42% | -0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 63.61% | -0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 63.81% | -0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 63.99% | +0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 63.79% | +0.4 pp |
| 1990 | 63.39% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Japan’s Labor participation in 1991?
63.79% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Japan’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +0.1% in total.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 63.45%; 2024: 63.3%; 2023: 62.9%; 2022: 62.5%; 2021: 62.05%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.