Labor force population

Japanese: 労働力人口 - ろうどうりょくじんこう

It is calculated by multiplying the population of people aged 15 and over by the labor force participation rate. Japan's labor force exceeded 50 million in the late 1960s, and after reaching 67.93 million in 1998, it began to decline, but in 2006 it reached 66.57 million, an increase of 70,000 from the previous year. By gender, the number of men decreased by 30,000 compared to the previous year, while the number of women increased by 90,000. Looking at the pattern of fluctuations on an annual basis, the annual rate of increase was 1.3% from 1960 to 1980, but it was 1.1% in the 1980s and 0.8% in the 1990s, and the pace of increase has slowed. This is mainly due to the long-term decline in birth rates as well as the decline in the labor force participation rate among young people. Furthermore, labor demand decreased due to the collapse of the bubble economy and restructuring, but due to the recent economic recovery and the entry of women into the workplace, it has been on a continuous downward trend since 1998, but has shown an upward trend in 2005 and 2006. The number of employed people in the labor force (excluding the unemployed) has also increased, and the composition by industry is changing. In 1950, nearly 50% of people were employed in the primary industry, but by 2006 this had fallen to just 4.3%, and since 1975, more than half of the workforce has been engaged in the tertiary industry. The secondary industry has been on a downward trend in recent years, having peaked at 34.1% in 1975. The average age of these workers has been steadily rising, with marked differences between industries. In terms of all industries, the average age rose by 6.1 years, from 34.9 to 41.0 years between 1973 and 2006, with the mining industry posting the highest average age over the entire period, and the aging of the workforce is also progressing rapidly in the manufacturing industry. In 2006, the number of unemployed people in the workforce was 2.75 million, and the unemployment rate was 4.1%, a decrease of 140,000 people from the previous year, and a 0.3 point drop in the unemployment rate. By age, the highest average age was 15-24, followed by 25-34. In particular, the rate was high for men aged 15 to 24 at 8.8%, followed by those aged 25 to 34 at 5.2%.

(Naohiro Ogawa, Professor at Nihon University / 2008)

Labor force

The labor force is the total number of people in a country who are willing and able to work and can supply labor services. As a statistical survey concept, in the Labor Force Survey (Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications), it refers to the total of employed (including those on leave) and unemployed people among the population aged 15 and over. Specifically, it refers to the population aged 15 and over who were employed, on leave, or looking for work during the last week of each month, which is the labor force survey period. People aged 15 and over who have no intention or ability to work, the sick, students, housewives, etc. are considered to be non-labor force population. Japan's labor force population (annual average) in 2006 was 66.57 million.

(Yasuo Kuwahara, Professor Emeritus, Dokkyo University / 2008)

Source : "Chiezo" published by Asahi Shimbun Publications Co., Ltd. About Chiezo

Japanese:

15歳以上の人口に労働参加率を掛けたもの。日本の労働力人口は1960年代の後半に5000万人を超え、98年に6793万人となった後は減少し始めていたが、2006年には6657万人となり前年より7万人増加した。男女別に見ると、男性は前年と比較して3万人減少、女性は9万人もの増加が記録された。変動パターンを年率ベースで見ると、60〜80年には年率1.3%で増加したが、80年代には1.1%、90年代に入ると0.8%となり、増加ぺースが鈍化している。これは主として長期的出生低下に加え、若年層での労働参加率の低下による影響だ。さらに、バブル経済の崩壊やリストラの影響で労働需要が減少したが、近年の景気回復や女性の職場進出によって98年以降連続的に減少傾向にあったが、05年、06年と増加傾向を示している。労働力の中での就業者数(失業者を除いた数)も増加し、産業別構成が変化している。50年には50%近くの人が第1次産業に就業していたが、06年ではわずか4.3%まで低下、75年以降、就業者の半数以上が第3次産業に従事している。第2次産業は75年の34.1%をピークに近年減少傾向にある。これら就業者の平均年齢は確実に上昇し、その上昇ぶりが産業間で著しい相違を見せている。産業計では、73年から06年で34.9歳から41.0歳へ6.1歳も上昇、鉱業が全期間を通じて最も高くなっており、製造業においても労働力の高齢化が急速に進行している。また、06年には労働力人口の中の完全失業者数は275万人、失業率は4.1%で、前年に比べ失業者数は14万人の減少、失業率も0.3ポイント低下。年齢別で見ると15〜24歳が最も高く、次いで25〜34歳となっている。特に、男性の15〜24歳は8.8%と高く、次いで25〜34歳が5.2%となっている。

(小川直宏日本大学教授／ 2008年)

労働力人口

労働力は、一国における働く意思と能力を持つ人々が供給できる労働サービスの総量を人数表示したもの。統計調査上の概念として、「労働力調査」(総務省統計局)では、15歳以上の人口のうち就業者(休業者も含む)と失業者の合計を指す。具体的には、労働力調査期間である毎月末の1週間に就業、休業あるいは求職中であった15歳以上の人口。15歳以上で働く意思や能力のない者、病弱者、学生、専業主婦などは非労働力人口とされる。2006年の日本の労働力人口(年平均値)は、6657万人。

(桑原靖夫獨協大学名誉教授／ 2008年)

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