Consensus outlook for Mace News
Friday, October 2, 2026
0830 JST (2330 GMT/1930 EDT Thursday, October 1) The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications releases August jobs.
Mace News median: 2.4% (range: 2.4% to 2.5%)vs. 2.4% in July, 2.5% in June, May and April, 2.7% in March and 2.6% in February.
By Chikafumi Hodo
TOKYO (MaceNews) – Japan’s labor market is expected to remain healthy in August, with the unemployment rate holding at the one-year low reached a month earlier. Ongoing labor shortages have concentrated mainly in sectors such as daycare, healthcare, transportation and construction, which are characterized by long working hours and relatively low wages.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is seen staying at 2.4% in August for a second straight month. It had been steady at 2.5% from April through June, reflecting widespread labor shortages.
In July, the number of employed people was 68.50 million, unchanged from a year earlier, while the number of unemployed people was 1.69 million, also unchanged from a year earlier.
By reason for seeking a job, the number of people who left their jobs due to circumstances involving their employer increased by 10,000 in July from a year earlier. Those who voluntarily left their jobs increased by 50,000, while those who were newly seeking work decreased by 30,000.