FX.co ★ Japan Jobless Rate Stays at 2.6% for 5th Month

In December 2025, Japan's unemployment rate remained steady at 2.6% for the fourth consecutive month, matching market forecasts. This rate is the highest seen since July 2024, with the number of unemployed individuals increasing by 50,000, reaching a total of 1.86 million. Concurrently, the employment figure decreased by 50,000, bringing the total number of employed to 68.46 million, while the overall labor force saw a reduction of 50,000 to 70.31 million. Additionally, there was an increase in individuals outside the labor force by 50,000, totaling 39.27 million. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, the labor force participation rate fell to 63.9% from 64.1% in November but remained higher than the 63.4% observed the previous year. At the same time, the jobs-to-applicants ratio slightly increased to 1.19, rising from near a three-year low over the past two months and slightly surpassing the anticipated figure of 1.18.