Number of people employed in agriculture in Japan
Japan: Number of people employed in agriculture was 1.90 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.90 million people
Change on year
down 2.4%
World rank
55th
of 186 countries
All-time high
17.33 million people
in 1900
All-time low
1.90 million people
in 2025
Years of data
77
1872–2025
Number of people employed in agriculture in Japan, 1872–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people employed in agriculture in Japan is 1.90 million people, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 77 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and down 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people employed in agriculture in Japan peaked at 17.33 million people in 1900 and was at its lowest, 1.90 million people, in 2025.
Japan ranks 55th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people employed in agriculture in Japan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1872 | 14.49 million people | — |
| 1880 | 16.08 million people | +10.9% |
| 1890 | 17.20 million people | +7.0% |
| 1900 | 17.33 million people | +0.8% |
| 1910 | 16.49 million people | -4.9% |
| 1920 | 14.44 million people | -12.4% |
| 1930 | 14.49 million people | +0.3% |
| 1940 | 15.42 million people | +6.4% |
| 1950 | 17.16 million people | +11.3% |
| 1953 | 17.08 million people | -0.4% |
| 1954 | 16.57 million people | -3.0% |
| 1955 | 16.93 million people | +2.2% |
| 1956 | 16.56 million people | -2.2% |
| 1957 | 16.31 million people | -1.5% |
| 1958 | 15.74 million people | -3.5% |
| 1959 | 15.17 million people | -3.6% |
| 1960 | 15.06 million people | -0.7% |
| 1961 | 14.65 million people | -2.7% |
| 1962 | 14.22 million people | -2.9% |
| 1963 | 13.44 million people | -5.5% |
| 1964 | 12.90 million people | -4.0% |
| 1965 | 12.43 million people | -3.6% |
| 1966 | 12.13 million people | -2.5% |
| 1967 | 11.89 million people | -2.0% |
| 1968 | 11.61 million people | -2.4% |
| 1969 | 11.34 million people | -2.4% |
| 1970 | 10.82 million people | -4.5% |
| 1971 | 10.04 million people | -7.2% |
| 1972 | 9.55 million people | -4.8% |
| 1973 | 9.10 million people | -4.7% |
| 1974 | 8.88 million people | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 8.69 million people | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 8.51 million people | -2.0% |
| 1977 | 8.43 million people | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 8.33 million people | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 8.04 million people | -3.5% |
| 1980 | 7.63 million people | -5.1% |
| 1981 | 7.39 million people | -3.1% |
| 1982 | 7.25 million people | -1.9% |
| 1983 | 7.01 million people | -3.3% |
| 1984 | 6.74 million people | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 6.65 million people | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 4.60 million people | -30.9% |
| 1992 | 4.45 million people | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 4.15 million people | -6.7% |
| 1994 | 4.04 million people | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 3.98 million people | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 3.86 million people | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 3.79 million people | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 3.71 million people | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 3.63 million people | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 3.53 million people | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 3.36 million people | -4.7% |
| 2002 | 3.17 million people | -5.7% |
| 2003 | 3.15 million people | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 3.13 million people | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 3.03 million people | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 2.95 million people | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 2.95 million people | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 2.93 million people | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 2.88 million people | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 2.78 million people | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 2.61 million people | -6.0% |
| 2012 | 2.54 million people | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 2.45 million people | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 2.42 million people | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 2.41 million people | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 2.36 million people | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 2.34 million people | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 2.34 million people | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 2.27 million people | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 2.17 million people | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 2.11 million people | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 2.07 million people | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 2.02 million people | -2.5% |
| 2024 | 1.95 million people | -3.6% |
| 2025 | 1.90 million people | -2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 14.49 million people | 14.49 million people | 14.49 million people | 1 |
| 1880s | 16.08 million people | 16.08 million people | 16.08 million people | 1 |
| 1890s | 17.20 million people | 17.20 million people | 17.20 million people | 1 |
| 1900s | 17.33 million people | 17.33 million people | 17.33 million people | 1 |
| 1910s | 16.49 million people | 16.49 million people | 16.49 million people | 1 |
| 1920s | 14.44 million people | 14.44 million people | 14.44 million people | 1 |
| 1930s | 14.49 million people | 14.49 million people | 14.49 million people | 1 |
| 1940s | 15.42 million people | 15.42 million people | 15.42 million people | 1 |
| 1950s | 16.44 million people | 15.17 million people | 17.16 million people | 8 |
| 1960s | 12.97 million people | 11.34 million people | 15.06 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.04 million people | 8.04 million people | 10.82 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.11 million people | 6.65 million people | 7.63 million people | 6 |
| 1990s | 4.02 million people | 3.63 million people | 4.60 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.11 million people | 2.88 million people | 3.53 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.45 million people | 2.27 million people | 2.78 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.04 million people | 1.90 million people | 2.17 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More agriculture & rural data for Japan
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.95 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0096 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 323.87 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.89 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.077 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.0% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.0% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people employed in agriculture in Japan?
- Number of people employed in agriculture in Japan was 1.90 million people in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 17.33 million people in 1900.
- What is the lowest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.90 million people in 2025.
- How does Japan rank for number of people employed in agriculture?
- Japan ranks 55th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people employed in agriculture rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people employed in agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Number of people working in agriculture, including hunting, forestry and fishing.