Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Japan

Japan: Industry jobs as a share of total employment was 23.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
23.2%
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
54th
of 186 countries
All-time high
33.4%
in 1992
All-time low
23.2%
in 2025
Years of data
35
1991–2025

Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Japan, 1991–2025

01020301991200820251991: 33.3 %1992: 33.4 %1993: 33.1 %1994: 32.9 %1995: 32.3 %1996: 32.1 %1997: 32 %1998: 30.9 %1999: 30.6 %2000: 30.4 %2001: 29.7 %2002: 28.8 %2003: 28.7 %2004: 27.8 %2005: 27.4 %2006: 27.5 %2007: 27.3 %2008: 26.8 %2009: 26.1 %2010: 25.5 %2011: 25.4 %2012: 25.3 %2013: 25.2 %2014: 25.1 %2015: 24.9 %2016: 24.6 %2017: 24.6 %2018: 24.4 %2019: 24.2 %2020: 23.9 %2021: 23.7 %2022: 23.6 %2023: 23.7 %2024: 23.3 %2025: 23.2 %

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for industry jobs as a share of total employment in Japan is 23.2%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.

The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, industry jobs as a share of total employment in Japan peaked at 33.4% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 23.2%, in 2025.

That places Japan 54th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Japan, 1991 to 2025.
Year % Change
1991 33.3% —
1992 33.4% +0.5%
1993 33.1% -1.0%
1994 32.9% -0.8%
1995 32.3% -1.5%
1996 32.1% -0.7%
1997 32.0% -0.5%
1998 30.9% -3.2%
1999 30.6% -1.2%
2000 30.4% -0.5%
2001 29.7% -2.6%
2002 28.8% -2.9%
2003 28.7% -0.2%
2004 27.8% -3.1%
2005 27.4% -1.5%
2006 27.5% +0.4%
2007 27.3% -0.7%
2008 26.8% -1.9%
2009 26.1% -2.5%
2010 25.5% -2.2%
2011 25.4% -0.3%
2012 25.3% -0.5%
2013 25.2% -0.5%
2014 25.1% -0.3%
2015 24.9% -0.9%
2016 24.6% -1.2%
2017 24.6% -0.1%
2018 24.4% -0.5%
2019 24.2% -0.9%
2020 23.9% -1.2%
2021 23.7% -1.0%
2022 23.6% -0.3%
2023 23.7% +0.4%
2024 23.3% -1.5%
2025 23.2% -0.5%

Japan compared with similar countries

  • Japan's 23.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 19.9%, 1.2× the median. (62 countries reporting)
  • Japan's 23.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 19.9%, 1.2× the median. (29 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 32.3% 30.6% 33.4% 9
2000s 28.0% 26.1% 30.4% 10
2010s 24.9% 24.2% 25.5% 10
2020s 23.6% 23.2% 23.9% 6

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 51 Morocco 23.8% compare
  2. 52 South Korea 23.4% compare
  3. 53 Tonga 23.3% compare
  4. 55 El Salvador 23.1% compare
  5. 56 Mongolia 23.1% compare
  6. 57 Saudi Arabia 23.1% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More reference data data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is industry jobs as a share of total employment in Japan?
Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Japan was 23.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest industry jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 33.4% in 1992.
What is the lowest industry jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 23.2% in 2025.
How does Japan rank for industry jobs as a share of total employment?
Japan ranks 54th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is industry jobs as a share of total employment rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Industry jobs as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 29 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/industry-share-of-total-emplyoment/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Industry jobs as a share of total employment
Unit
%
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,496 data points, 1991–2025
Last refreshed

Share of total employment working in the industry sector.