Japan’s unemployment rate stayed in a tight range at 2.5% in May 2024 and 2.6% in February 2025, signaling a steady labor market. Inflation also held elevated levels with the CPI at 3.1% year-on-year in January 2024. Against that backdrop, Japan’s manufacturing output index hovered near 100 while real GDP growth reached 1.9% in 2023.
Key Takeaways
- Japan’s real GDP growth was 1.9% in 2023
- Japan’s real GDP growth was 0.9% in 2022
- Japan’s real GDP growth was -0.1% in 2021
- Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.6% in March 2024
- Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.6% in April 2024
- Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.5% in May 2024
- Japan’s consumer price index (CPI) all items year-on-year was 3.1% in January 2024
- Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.6% in February 2024
- Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.8% in March 2024
- Japan’s business population (establishments) in manufacturing was 214,000 in 2022
- Japan’s manufacturing employment was 8.2 million in 2021
- Japan’s manufacturing shipments were ¥346.2 trillion in 2021
- Japan’s manufacturing firms reporting R&D were 78% in 2022
- Japan’s R&D expenditure was ¥21.8 trillion in FY 2022
- Japan’s gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) was 3.3% of GDP in FY 2022
Japan’s economy rebounded with 1.9% growth in 2023 as unemployment stayed near 2.5% and inflation cooled.
Related reading
01 · Category
Macroeconomy and Growth4 stats
01
Japan’s real GDP growth was 1.9% in 2023
02
Japan’s real GDP growth was 0.9% in 2022
03
Japan’s real GDP growth was -0.1% in 2021
04
Japan’s real GDP growth was 1.0% in 2020
Interpretation
Macroeconomy and Growth Interpretation
Japan’s real GDP growth has been inching along with a mildly dramatic mix of modest expansion and near-stagnation, rising to 1.9% in 2023 after slipping to 0.9% in 2022, dipping slightly negative in 2021, and rebounding to 1.0% in 2020, like a cautious economy learning to walk without tripping.
02 · Category
Labor and Employment17 stats
01
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.6% in March 2024
02
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.6% in April 2024
03
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.5% in May 2024
04
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.6% in June 2024
05
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.5% in July 2024
06
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.5% in August 2024
07
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.5% in September 2024
08
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.4% in October 2024
09
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.4% in November 2024
10
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.5% in December 2024
11
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.5% in January 2025
12
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.6% in February 2025
13
Japan’s unemployment rate was 2.6% in March 2025
14
Japan’s labor force participation rate (age 15+) was 62.7% in 2023
15
Japan’s employment-to-population ratio (age 15+) was 61.0% in 2023
16
Japan’s total population was 124.0 million as of October 1, 2023
17
Japan’s working-age population (15-64) was 74.3 million in 2023
Interpretation
Labor and Employment Interpretation
Japan’s unemployment rate hovered in a narrow 2.4 to 2.6 percent band from March 2024 to March 2025, suggesting a steady labor market even as the country’s high participation and employment rates, plus its 124 million total population and shrinking 15 to 64 workforce, keep the bigger demographic challenge quietly working in the background.
03 · Category
Prices, Trade and Investment23 stats
01
Japan’s consumer price index (CPI) all items year-on-year was 3.1% in January 2024
02
Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.6% in February 2024
03
Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.8% in March 2024
04
Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.7% in April 2024
05
Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.8% in May 2024
06
Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.7% in June 2024
07
Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.8% in July 2024
08
Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.6% in August 2024
09
Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.8% in September 2024
10
Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.8% in October 2024
11
Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.5% in November 2024
12
Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.8% in December 2024
13
Japan’s CPI all items year-on-year was 2.8% in January 2025
14
Japan’s exports (goods) were 94.6 trillion yen in FY 2023
15
Japan’s imports (goods) were 115.3 trillion yen in FY 2023
16
Japan’s trade balance for goods was -20.7 trillion yen in FY 2023
17
Japan’s nominal goods exports were 20.0% of GDP in 2023
18
Japan’s nominal goods imports were 22.0% of GDP in 2023
19
Japan’s current account balance was 2.9% of GDP in 2023
20
Japan’s FDI inflows were $33.6 billion in 2022
21
Japan’s FDI outflows were $118.1 billion in 2022
22
Japan’s inward FDI stock was $1738.0 billion in 2022
23
Japan’s outward FDI stock was $3645.0 billion in 2022
Interpretation
Prices, Trade and Investment Interpretation
Japan’s inflation stayed stubbornly high throughout early 2024 at roughly the mid to high 2 percent range, while trade and investment numbers tell a more serious story: imports of goods consistently outweighed exports, the current account still eked out a surplus, and Japan remained a net exporter of capital rather than a magnet for it, implying a country paying for its financial global reach even as everyday prices nudge upward.
04 · Category
Industry Structure and Firms22 stats
01
Japan’s business population (establishments) in manufacturing was 214,000 in 2022
02
Japan’s manufacturing employment was 8.2 million in 2021
03
Japan’s manufacturing shipments were ¥346.2 trillion in 2021
04
Japan’s manufacturing value added was ¥93.4 trillion in 2021
05
Japan’s number of wholesale trade establishments was 639,000 in 2022
06
Japan’s retail trade establishments were 1.42 million in 2022
07
Japan’s transportation and warehousing employment was 2.35 million in 2022
08
Japan’s construction industry employment was 5.64 million in 2022
09
Japan’s agriculture/forestry/fisheries employment share was 3.6% in 2023
10
Japan’s manufacturing accounted for 19.4% of GDP in 2023
11
Japan’s services accounted for 69.0% of GDP in 2023
12
Japan’s industry (excluding construction) value added share was 24.0% of GDP in 2023
13
Japan’s corporate number was 3.98 million as of 2024
14
Japan had 8,000+ listed companies on TSE as of 2024
15
Japan’s top 10 listed companies held 21.5% of market capitalization in 2023
16
Japan’s steel crude production was 81.0 million tonnes in 2023
17
Japan’s crude steel production was 67.1 million tonnes in 2022
18
Japan’s crude steel production share of global production was 5.6% in 2023
19
Japan produced 9.9 million vehicles in 2023
20
Japan produced 8.8 million vehicles in 2022
21
Japan exported 3.3 million vehicles in 2023
22
Japan’s shipbuilding completions were 1.4 million CGT in 2023
Interpretation
Industry Structure and Firms Interpretation
Japan’s stats paint a country where millions of workers and hundreds of thousands of businesses keep the engines running, manufacturing punches above its weight in GDP, steel and ships still symbolize industrial grit, and exporting cars at scale does the heavy lifting while most of the economy hums along in services.
More related reading
05 · Category
Innovation and Technology30 stats
01
Japan’s manufacturing firms reporting R&D were 78% in 2022
02
Japan’s R&D expenditure was ¥21.8 trillion in FY 2022
03
Japan’s gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) was 3.3% of GDP in FY 2022
04
Japan’s industrial sector share of R&D was 79.0% in FY 2022
05
Japan’s number of researchers was 870,000 (full-time equivalent) in 2022
06
Japan’s patent applications (resident) were 318,000 in 2023
07
Japan’s PCT applications (resident) were 24,700 in 2023
08
Japan’s trademark applications (resident) were 1,330,000 in 2023
09
Japan’s semiconductor manufacturing output (index) increased 6% in 2023
10
Japan’s Industrial Production Index (2015=100) for manufacturing was 100.9 in December 2023
11
Japan’s Industrial Production Index for manufacturing was 101.4 in January 2024
12
Japan’s Industrial Production Index for manufacturing was 101.0 in February 2024
13
Japan’s Industrial Production Index for manufacturing was 100.6 in March 2024
14
Japan’s Industrial Production Index for manufacturing was 99.9 in April 2024
15
Japan’s Industrial Production Index for manufacturing was 99.5 in May 2024
16
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was -0.6% in June 2024
17
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was 0.7% in July 2024
18
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was 1.2% in August 2024
19
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was -1.1% in September 2024
20
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was 0.3% in October 2024
21
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was 0.8% in November 2024
22
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was -0.4% in December 2024
23
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was 0.2% in January 2025
24
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was 0.5% in February 2025
25
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was 0.1% in March 2025
26
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was -0.2% in April 2025
27
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was 0.6% in May 2025
28
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was -0.1% in June 2025
29
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was 0.4% in July 2025
30
Japan’s industrial production growth (month-on-month) for manufacturing was -0.3% in August 2025
Interpretation
Innovation and Technology Interpretation
Japan is doubling down on R and D like it is a national sport, with 78 percent of manufacturing firms reporting R and D and 3.3 percent of GDP poured into it, yet its output has been doing more of a cautious zigzag than a victory lap, as semiconductor gains and steady patent and trademark activity sit alongside a manufacturing production index hovering around 100 and month to month growth swinging from plus 1.2 percent to minus 1.1 percent, suggesting that in Japan the future is being invented as fast as the present is being manufactured, one slightly bumpy month at a time.
06 · Category
Energy and Resources10 stats
01
Japan’s electricity generation was 1,040 TWh in 2022
02
Japan’s renewable electricity generation was 276 TWh in 2022
03
Japan’s fossil fuel share of electricity generation was 70% in 2022
04
Japan’s crude oil imports were 160.3 million tonnes in 2023
05
Japan’s LNG imports were 83.0 million tonnes in 2023
06
Japan’s coal imports were 169.0 million tonnes in 2023
07
Japan’s nuclear electricity generation was 2.0 TWh in 2022
08
Japan’s natural gas production was 0.0 TWh in 2022 (negligible)
09
Japan’s total final energy consumption was 17.5 EJ in 2022
10
Japan’s industry final energy consumption was 4.5 EJ in 2022
Interpretation
Energy and Resources Interpretation
In 2022 Japan generated 1,040 TWh of electricity with renewables delivering 276 TWh, yet kept a 70 percent fossil fuel grip on the grid while, in 2023, it imported vast quantities of crude oil, LNG, and coal, and with nuclear effectively at 2.0 TWh and natural gas production virtually nil, its 17.5 EJ of total final energy (including 4.5 EJ from industry) underscores a country that still runs largely on imported fuel even when it is chasing cleaner power.
07 · Category
Environment and Sustainability10 stats
01
Japan’s manufacturing CO2 emissions were 240 MtCO2 in 2022
02
Japan’s total CO2 emissions were 1,195 MtCO2 in 2022
03
Japan’s share of renewable energy in total final energy consumption was 11.7% in 2022
04
Japan’s recycling rate for municipal waste was 19.1% in FY 2021
05
Japan’s circular economy material use rate for domestic material consumption was 19.9% in 2022
06
Japan’s greenhouse gas emissions target for 2030 is -46% from 2013 level
07
Japan’s energy efficiency target includes reducing final energy intensity by 35% by FY 2030 (vs FY 2013)
08
Japan’s feed-in tariff (FIT) share of renewables capacity was 20.4% in 2022
09
Japan’s air passenger transport (international) was 62.6 million passengers in 2023
10
Japan’s container throughput was 5.77 million TEU in 2023
Interpretation
Environment and Sustainability Interpretation
Japan in 2022 emitted 240 MtCO2 from manufacturing and 1,195 MtCO2 overall, yet it is trying to decarbonize with renewables at 11.7% and a 20.4% feed in tariff share, boosting circularity only to 19.1% municipal recycling and a 19.9% circular material use rate while aiming for a 46% 2030 greenhouse gas cut from 2013 and a 35% final energy intensity improvement, all the while moving 62.6 million international air passengers and 5.77 million TEU through its ports as if emissions were a logistics problem to be optimized.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Japan Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/japan-industry-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "Japan Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/japan-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Japan Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/japan-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
47 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+28 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)