Japan's Job Availability Declines in 2025

Feb 01, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - The effective job-offers-to-applicants ratio fell for a second consecutive year in 2025, reflecting a broad-based slowdown in hiring amid rising costs and wage pressures.

According to data released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the effective job openings ratio for 2025 stood at 1.22, down 0.03 points from the previous year, marking the second straight annual decline. The decrease was seen across all industries, as companies moved to restrain recruitment due to higher raw material costs driven by inflation and the impact of minimum wage increases.

In December 2025, however, the effective job openings ratio rose to 1.19, up 0.01 points from the previous month, marking the first increase in nine months. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said the national unemployment rate for 2025 was 2.5 percent, unchanged from the previous year.

Source: テレ東BIZ

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