KUALA LUMPUR - Japan’s labor force reached a record high in 2025, underscoring how elderly people, women, and foreign workers are increasingly supporting the country’s shrinking workforce.

According to the Labor Force Survey released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on January 30, the number of people aged 15 and over who were either working or seeking work averaged 70.04 million in 2025, the highest level since comparable data became available in 1953.

It marked the first time the labor force has exceeded 70 million, and the third consecutive year of growth.

While Japan’s working-age population, ages 15 to 64,  continues to decline due to low birth rates, increased labor participation among older adults, women, and foreign nationals has pushed overall labor force numbers higher.

The number of people not in the labor force stood at 39.62 million, down 690,000 from the previous year, marking a fifth straight annual decline. 

The drop suggests that more people, particularly elderly individuals and women, are entering or re-entering the labor market.

Among those aged 65 and over, the labor force participation rate rose to 26.5%, up 0.4 percentage points from a year earlier. 

The employment rate for this age group reached 26%, meaning one in four people aged 65 or older is now working.

By gender, the number of women in the labor force totaled 32 million, up 430,000 from the previous year. 

The Asahi Shimbun has cited legal reforms, improved workplace environments, and a rising unmarried rate as contributing to the trend.

Meanwhile, data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare showed that the number of foreign workers reached 2,302,587 as of the end of October 2024, up about 250,000 from the previous year and marking a new record. The figure is expected to rise further.

As Japan’s population continues to shrink, the labor market is increasingly being sustained by a more diverse workforce. 

Further adjustments to employment systems and workplace practices will be needed to accommodate elderly workers, women, and foreign nationals.