Izanau
Beta
  • English
  • 日本語
  • 中文
  • Articles
  • Jobs
  • Companies
  • Candidates
  • About
  • Homes
  • Students
  • 企業向け
  • 企業向け
  • FAQ
  • Work Tips
  • Life Tips
  • Register
  • Log In
日本語 中文
  • Home
  • Articles
  • Work in Japan
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Google+

Labor Shortages in Japan (July 2020 Statistics)

Monday, October 26, 2020

20 Industries with the Biggest Labor Shortages (July 2020 Statistics)

Jobs JapanJobs ForeignersEmployment of foreignersJapan's labor shortagelabor shortages in Japanfind a job in Japanapply for jobs in JapanJapan labor forcejob availability ratioMinistry of Health Labor and WelfareEmployment during Coronavirusjob market JapanJapan job market 2020industries with labor shortages
Labor Shortages in Japan (July 2020 Statistics)

Our previous two editions of "Labor Shortages in Japan" was published in February and July of this year, featuring labor statistics from January 2020 and May 2020 respectively. The drastic change in the global economy since January has affected job markets in unpredictable ways. In the third installment of "Labor Shortages in Japan" we will be looking at Japan's labor market statistics for July 2020, two months after the State of Emergency was lifted. Here are the official job market statistics published by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. 

From those statistics we have selected the Top 20 Industries with the greatest labor shortages using the government’s “job availability ratio”.  

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare puts out a monthly ratio comparing the number of job openings to the number of job applicants. This ratio is calculated based on statistics from Hello Work (the employment service center operated by the Japanese government). 

Using the number of job applicants at Hello Work the monthly statistics show an analysis on topics like recruitment status and job seeking. Numbers greater than 1 indicate a labor shortage in the industry, and numbers less than 1 indicate a surplus of labor in the industry. 

The numbers show a ratio of job openings to job applications.  In other words, the higher the ratio, the higher the labor shortage, and vice versa.

Data from May 2020 shows that the “job availability ratio” is 1.08 points, compared to the month before the number has decreased by 0.03 points.

New job openings to applicants ratio is 1.72, showing no change from the previous month. 

The ratio of job openings to active employees (seasonally adjusted) was 0.81, down 0.03 points from the previous month.

The number of active job openings in July increased by 2.5% from the previous month, and the number of active job seekers increased by 6.0%.

New job openings in July were 28.6% lower than the same month last year showing the effects of the coronavirus on the labor market. In May new job openings were 32.1% lower compared to the previous year, showing a small bounce back from after the State of Emergency.

If we separate the data by industry here are the figures for job availability: 

  • Hospitality, food & beverage (down 44.0%)
  • Manufacturing (down 40.9%)
  • Lifestyle, entertainment services (down 34.5%), 
  • Telecommunications (down 34.1%)
  • Wholesale & Retail Business (down 33.4%)

If the data is separated by prefecture, the prefecture with most number available jobs was Fukui Prefecture with a score of 1.55, and the prefecture with the least number of available jobs was Okinawa with a score of 0.74. Therefore the number of new jobs accepted was also the highest in Fukui prefecture with a score of 1.48 and lowest in Okinawa with a score of 0.67.

Labor Shortage Ranking Top 20

1:Construction: Steel Workers     8.64

2:Infrastructure Builders     7.88

3:Security Workers      6.26

4:Civil Engineers     5.49

5:Construction and Civil Engineering Surveyor/Management      5.00

6:Construction Workers      4.04

7:Caregivers (for the elderly or disabled)    3.99

8:Electricians   3.75

9:Childcare Workers      3.59

10:Machine Maintenance Workers      3.55

11:Lifestyle Services (Hairdressers, Cleaners, Janitors)      2.89

12: Social Welfare Workers (Nursing home staff, home nurses, mental health professionals, etc.)  2.75

13: Non-Medical Hospital and Clinic Staff 2.65

14:Utility Management and Payment Collectors (Out of Office Work)  2.63

15:Medical Technicians     2.47

16:Doctors, Pharmacists  2.24

17:Delivery and Transport Workers  2.02

18:Bus and Truck Drivers 1.95

19:Public Health Nurses, Midwives    1.90

20:Goods Packing Service Workers  1.73



*The numbers are the ratio of job openings to job applicants

Financial Crisis Vs. Coronavirus 

This graph shows the ratio of job openings to job applicants from 2007 to March of this year. The dark blue bars indicate the number of available jobs and the light blue bars indicate the number of available job applicants. (Source: Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare)

Japan Job Ratios for July 2020

The sharp dip in around the years Heisei 19 - 20 (2007 - 2008) indicates the effects of the Global Financial Crisis.  As we can see, at that time, the average number of jobs dropped drastically, while the number of job seekers spiked. 

With the effects of the global pandemic the number of availability rating has reached the lowest point in 6 years, while the number of job seekers is slowly on the rise. 

However, this does not mean that there are no opportunities for foreign job seekers in Japan, as the statistics above show, the majority of job availability is industry specific and therefore those with specialised skills can still find work in Japan. 

If you need support with you job search, sign up below, or contact us. 

For industry statistics on labor shortages 

  • Labor Shortages in Japan - January 2020
  • Labor Shortages in Japan - May 2020


----------------------------------------------

Want to work in Japan?

Sign up here to connect directly with Japanese companies. 

Or check out our latest job postings here.



  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Google+
  • Latest Jobs
Back-end management staff
Gaming
ANOTHER DISCOVERY
Back-end management in a gaming company.
Osaka 大阪市
Not applicable
Apply Now
Head Chef
Lodgings, Food & Beverage, Other Travel, Hospitality
hyphen
Searching for a FT head chef for an upcoming restaurant opening this summer (TBD). We are looking for someone who is above all, social, willing to learn and grow, creative, and works well as a team leader.
Monthly Salary ¥350K ~ ¥380K
Tokyo Shibuya
Full-time
Apply Now
Day Manager / Head Barista
Lodgings, Food & Beverage, Other Travel, Hospitality
Searching for a Head Barista / Day Manager to run daily operations and train staff for a new lounge opening in summer (TBD). This person is extremely friendly, outgoing, a team player, has a strong network in Tokyo, and ...
Monthly Salary ¥300K ~ ¥380K
Tokyo Shibuya
Full-time
Apply Now
Latest Articles
  • Thursday, December 1, 2022
  • All the Different Hara’s in Japan

  • Friday, November 18, 2022
  • Everything You Need To Know About Working in a Japanese Company

  • Thursday, November 10, 2022
  • What to Expect when Renting an Apartment in Japan

  • Wednesday, October 12, 2022
  • Insurance Card, Residence Card to be Merged with My Number Card

  • Wednesday, September 21, 2022
  • Japanese Bathrooms: Why are they Different?

  • Tuesday, September 6, 2022
  • What is Kasai-Hoken (Fire Insurance) and is it Necessary?

  • Tuesday, August 30, 2022
  • Japanese Apartments: What’s the Difference Between 1R, 1K, 1DK, and 1LDK?

  • Monday, August 22, 2022
  • How to Find Cheap(er) Groceries in Japan

  • Monday, May 16, 2022
  • Japan vs. the World: Aging Population and Population Decline (2022 Update)

  • Monday, February 14, 2022
  • How to Buy a House in Japan

  • Friday, October 16, 2020
  • What Might Japan’s Energy Future Look Like?

  • Thursday, October 8, 2020
  • Jobs in Japan During a Global Pandemic

  • Sunday, September 6, 2020
  • Discrimination and Stigma in Japanese Society: The Case of COVID-19

  • Tuesday, August 4, 2020
  • Racism Denial: The Case of Japan

  • Friday, July 17, 2020
  • Labor Shortages in Japan (May 2020 Statistics)

  • Tuesday, June 23, 2020
  • Homelessness, Social Stigma, and Fringes of Japanese Society

  • Monday, June 8, 2020
  • Gambling, Pachinko and the Impact of the COVID-19

  • Friday, June 5, 2020
  • Government Support for International Students and Foreigners Living in Japan During the Coronavirus

  • Monday, May 18, 2020
  • COVID-19 and University Life in Japan

  • Saturday, May 9, 2020
  • How to Apply for the ¥100,000 Coronavirus Government Support Money

  • Wednesday, May 6, 2020
  • To Those Who Have Lost Their Jobs Because of the State of Emergency In Japan

  • Wednesday, April 29, 2020
  • What is it like being LGBT in Japan?

  • Friday, April 24, 2020
  • ¥100,000 Japanese Government Support Money. Do you qualify?

  • Thursday, April 23, 2020
  • Visas and Government Support for Foreigners During the Coronavirus in Japan

  • Thursday, April 16, 2020
  • Why Can’t Japan Work From Home?

  • Friday, April 3, 2020
  • Japan Coronavirus Information Site List by Prefecture (Phone Consultations Available)

  • Monday, March 30, 2020
  • Job Search Support for International Students in Japan

  • Tuesday, March 24, 2020
  • The Coronavirus and the Olympics

  • Thursday, March 12, 2020
  • What to do during Volcanic Eruptions in Japan

  • Wednesday, March 4, 2020
  • Qualifying for the Highly Skilled Foreign Professional Visa Schedule (1) in Japan

See All Articles

Work in Japan, Enjoy Japan

Finding a job abroad may seem challenging, but Izanau is here to make the process simple. Register now and you're one step closer to enjoying your new life in Japan.
Register your account

Jobs In Japan Made Simple
About Izanau
  • Contact Us
SiteMap
  • Articles
  • Jobs
  • Companies
  • Candidates
Homes
  • For Rent
  • For Sale
  • FAQ
  • Advanced Search
Terms of Use
  • For Candidates
  • For Corporations
Privacy
  • Privacy Policy
IZANAUパートナープログラム
  • 紹介会社様はこちら
IZANAUパートナープログラム
  • 外国人材を紹介したい方はこちら
Sign Up
  • For Candidates
  • For Corporations
Language
  • English
  • 日本語
  • 中文
Follow Us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Izanau. Copyright Another Discovery Inc.