September 2026: unemployment rate 2.4%, 68.96 million employed (up 330,000 year on year)68.96 million people are working, and 1.69 million are looking for work
On October 30 the Statistics Bureau released the Labour Force Survey (Basic Aggregates) for September 2026 (Reiwa 8). The unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) was 2.4%, down 0.1 point from the previous month, and the number of employed persons was 68.96 million, up 330,000 from a year earlier. Employees numbered 62.65 million, rising for the 55th consecutive month, while the unemployed fell to 1.69 million, a second straight monthly decline. The figures point to continued difficulty in securing staff.
Key points
- The unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) was 2.4%, down 0.1 point from the previous month
- Employed persons numbered 68.96 million, up 330,000 (0.5%) year on year and rising for a second consecutive month. Employees numbered 62.65 million, up 640,000 (1.0%) and rising for the 55th consecutive month
- Regular staff and employees numbered 37.83 million, up 230,000 (0.6%) and rising for the 35th consecutive month; non-regular staff and employees numbered 21.38 million, up 470,000 (2.2%) and rising for a sixth consecutive month
- The unemployed numbered 1.69 million, down 150,000. Within this, voluntary departures fell by 90,000 and departures due to employer or business circumstances fell by 30,000
- By major industry, medical and welfare services rose by 290,000, information and communications by 80,000 and manufacturing by 60,000, while construction fell by 150,000 and accommodation and food services by 210,000
What to do in practice
- If you plan to hire, allow extra time for recruitment and onboarding on the assumption that unemployment is low and the pool of job seekers is shrinking
- In industries where employment is falling, such as construction, accommodation and food services, first review retention measures for existing staff (clear working conditions, ease of taking leave)
Every month the government counts how many people across the country are working and how many are looking for work. In September 2026, 68.96 million people were working, which is 330,000 more than in the same month last year. The number of people looking for work was 1.69 million, down 150,000. The share of people looking for work, called the unemployment rate, was 2.4%, down 0.1 point from the previous month.
Points
- 68.96 million people were working, 330,000 more than in September last year
- People employed by companies and other organisations numbered 62.65 million, rising for 55 months in a row
- The number of people looking for work fell to 1.69 million, so the unemployment rate came to 2.4%
What the words mean
- unemployment rate
- The share of people who want to work and are looking for a job, out of everyone who is working or looking
- employee
- Someone who works for a company and is paid a wage, rather than running their own shop or business
- Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Statistics Bureau, Labour Force Survey (Basic Aggregates), September 2026 (Reiwa 8) and the July-September 2026 average
- Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Statistics Bureau, Labour Force Survey (Basic Aggregates), September 2026 (Reiwa 8): Summary of Results
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