The statistic shows the unemployment rate in Japan from 1999 to 2024. In 2024, the unemployment rate in Japan was at about 2.56 percent. Employment and the economy in Japan Japan is one of the leading countries when it comes to economic key factors; its unemployment rate, for example, is lower than that of other major industrial and emerging countries. The Japanese work ethic is well-known worldwide, it is synonymous with a strong devotion to the company and to the task at hand; competition among co-workers and loyalty to the company are common and encouraged, working hours and over-time work are said to be excessive. The Japanese language even has its own term for sudden death from being overworked – “Karoshi”. After the devastating effects of World War II, Japan managed to recover economically and even earn a prominent role among other leading economic powers – a fact which is probably partly due to this attitude towards work and employment. Today, Japan is among the leading import countries worldwide, as well as the leading export countries worldwide. Additionally, Japan is one of the 20 countries with the largest proportion of the global domestic product, and also among the 20 countries with the largest gross domestic product per capita, even though it is also ranked tenth among the leading countries with the largest population.

Unemployment Rate in Japan remained unchanged at 2.50 percent in June. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Japan Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

At *** percent in June 2023, Japan’s unemployment rate is very low compared to other advanced economies. The fact that it has remained this low for a full year would concern most economists in any other country. However, since Japan has been fighting deflation for many years, the normal rationale does not apply. Causes of unemployment Unemployment can arise from an economic recession, when demand falls and firms lay off workers. It can also be the result of workers and firms not matching, such as there being too many lawyers and not enough doctors in an area. Finally, search unemployment refers to the time between a worker ending one job and starting another. Economists consider this to be efficient in most cases because it gives firms and workers the time to find the best match. The Japanese context Japan’s inflation rate has remained stubbornly low since the 1990s, sometimes even becoming negative - or deflation. This has caused firms to delay investment and consumers to delay major purchases, which has in turn led to low GDP growth. In most economies, this would lead to high inflation. However, given the decreasing population and thus the decreasing workforce, it is possible that firms are retaining workers due to labor scarcity. It is also possible that low unemployment is a product of high government spending or low workforce participation. In any event, this statistic underscores the unique situation of the Japanese economy.

Key information about Japan Unemployment Rate

• Japan Unemployment Rate remained the same at 2.50% in Jan 2025, from the previously reported figure of 2.50% in Dec 2024.
• Japan Unemployment Rate is updated monthly, available from Jan 1953 to Jan 2025, with an average rate of 2.50%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 5.50% in Jul 2009 and a record low of 1.00% in Mar 1970.
• The data is reported by reported by Statistical Bureau.
• In the latest reports, Japan Population reached 123.74 million people in Dec 2024.

In 2024, the unemployment rate in Japan stood at *** percent for men and *** percent for women. That year, there were close to *** million people who were unemployed despite actively searching for a job.

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Japan was reported at 2.563 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Unemployment, total - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Unemployment with advanced education (% of total labor force with advanced education) in Japan was reported at 2.47 % in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Unemployment with advanced education (% of total unemployment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Youth Unemployment Rate for Japan (SLUEM1524ZSJPN) from 1991 to 2024 about 15 to 24 years, Japan, unemployment, and rate.

In 2024, the unemployment rate in the Okinawa area was around *** percent, the highest among regions in Japan. In contrast, the Hokuriku area had the lowest unemployment rate with *** percent.

Japan: Unemployment rate for females: The latest value from 2023 is 2.34 percent, a decline from 2.38 percent in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 8.37 percent, based on data from 178 countries. Historically, the average for Japan from 1991 to 2023 is 3.5 percent. The minimum value, 2.17 percent, was reached in 2019 while the maximum of 5.12 percent was recorded in 2002.

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) in Japan was reported at 2.6 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Unemployment, total (national estimate) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

In 2024, around **** percent of the population aged ** to ** years old in Japan were unemployed, the highest share among all age groups. Japan's unemployment rate has been comparatively low compared to other major industrial and emerging countries.

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Japan was reported at 2.8 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Unemployment, male (national estimate) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

In 2024, the youth unemployment rate in Japan stood at 3.93 percent. Between 1991 and 2024, the figure dropped by 0.53 percentage points, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

Graph and download economic data for Harmonized Unemployment: Monthly Levels: Aged 25 and over: Males for Japan (LFHUADMAJPM647N) from Jan 1968 to Nov 2023 about males, 25 years +, Japan, and unemployment.

Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate) in Japan was reported at 4.4 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

In 2024, about *** percent of men in Japan aged 20 to 24 years were unemployed, although they were actively searching for a job. The unemployment rate of women was highest among the age groups of ** to ** and ** to ** at around *** percent.

As of 2023, Italy had the highest unemployment rate of the G7 countries, reaching 7.6 percent. Especially in Canada and the United States, the unemployment rate rose sharply in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Japan had the lowest unemployment rate at just 2.6 percent. Slowed growth of the Japanese economy and society While Japan had the lowest unemployment rate, it also experienced a slow wage growth. Wages in Japan are known to be stagnant, with many workers going years without experiencing any wage growth in their roles. One contributing factor to its low unemployment rate is its shrinking population. As the population continues to decrease, there is less competition for work. However, this introduces other problems for Japanese society, as it also has a rapidly aging population that requires long-term care. Unemployment in Italy: The divide between Northern and Southern Italy Not only does Italy have the highest unemployment rate out of the G7, but it has the second-highest unemployment rate of Europe's largest economies. Furthermore, Italy has significant levels of youth unemployment, with the majority of youth unemployment lying within southern regions of the country. The economic divide between Northern and Southern Italy is significant, and can be attributed to differences in industralization and economic diversification. The prominence of this divide has had wider impacts on Italian politics and society.

Japan Google Search Trends: Economic Measures: Unemployment data was reported at 82.000 Score in 14 May 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 88.000 Score for 13 May 2025. Japan Google Search Trends: Economic Measures: Unemployment data is updated daily, averaging 66.000 Score from Dec 2021 (Median) to 14 May 2025, with 1261 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 147.000 Score in 27 Jul 2023 and a record low of 0.000 Score in 08 Apr 2023. Japan Google Search Trends: Economic Measures: Unemployment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Google Trends. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.Google.GT: Google Search Trends: by Categories.

Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) in Japan was reported at 2.3 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Unemployment, female (national estimate) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.