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Japan Labor Force Participation

Labor force participation rate  SL.TLF.CACT.ZS

63.45% +0.15pp (+0.2%)
Year 2025 Rank #78 Global Peak 63.99% (1992) Source World Bank

Japan Labor Force Participation (1990–2025)

Overview

Japan's labor force participation stood at 63.45% in 2025, a rise of +0.15pp from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 63.92% by 2026. Japan ranked 78th globally.

Data & projection

Year Labor Force Participation YoY change Rank
2028* trend 64.63% - -
2027* trend 64.28% - -
2026* trend 63.92% - -
2025 63.45% +0.15pp #78
2024 63.30% +0.40pp #80
2023 62.90% +0.40pp #84
2022 62.50% +0.45pp #84
2021 62.05% +0.11pp #82
2020 61.95% −0.06pp #77
2019 62.01% +0.56pp #90
2018 61.45% +1.00pp #89
2017 60.44% +0.46pp #98
2016 59.99% +0.49pp #106
2015 59.50% +0.06pp #111
2014 59.44% +0.20pp #108
2013 59.25% +0.23pp #114
2012 59.01% −0.24pp #115
2011 59.25% −0.33pp #114
Show all years (1990-2025)
* Linear trend extrapolation

Detected Pattern

Export Boom Cycle
Current account surplus with strong export growth (>15% YoY), reserve accumulation, and moderate GDP growth. Typical of commodity exporters during price surges.
Reserves YoY +25.4% GDP growth 2.2% C/A balance 3.7%
Occurred 768 times, 546 successful
Reserves YoY
+25.6%
GDP growth
4.0%
C/A balance
14.5%
Reserves YoY
+14.6%
GDP growth
3.7%
C/A balance
2.9%
Reserves YoY
+12.8%
GDP growth
43.8%
C/A balance
16.4%
Reserves YoY
+12.6%
GDP growth
6.0%
C/A balance
0.5%
Reserves YoY
+38.3%
GDP growth
5.0%
C/A balance
1.2%
Reserves YoY
+18.0%
GDP growth
2.9%
C/A balance
3.9%

Analysis

Japan matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2004. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw labor force participation improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Japan's labor force participation?

Japan's labor force participation was 63.45% in 2025. Ranked 78th globally. This represents a 0.2% increase from the previous year.

What was the highest labor force participation in Japan?

Japan's labor force participation peaked at 63.99% in 1992.

What was the lowest labor force participation in Japan?

The lowest labor force participation in Japan was 59.01% in 2012.

How does Japan rank in labor force participation?

Japan ranks 78th globally in labor force participation as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for labor force participation?

The World Bank indicator code is SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected labor force participation of Japan in 2026?

Japan's labor force participation is projected to reach 63.92% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.

What is the labor force participation of Japan in 2025?

The labor force participation of Japan in 2025 was 63.45%. This ranks 78th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Japan Labor Force Participation. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/japan/labor-force-participation
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_japan_labor-force-participation, title = {Japan Labor Force Participation}, url = {https://historysaid.com/japan/labor-force-participation}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }