A July survey of companies found that 51.3% faced shortages of full-time employees and 28.8% faced shortages of non-regular employees, indicating that labor shortages remain widespread. Labor shortages are believed to be a factor behind the increase in bankruptcies, with bankruptcies in the first half of 2026 reaching a record high.
According to a July survey by Teikoku Databank, 51.3% of companies reported shortages of full-time employees, marking the fourth consecutive year in which the figure exceeded 50% in July. Responses were collected online from 10,518 companies.
By industry, shortages of full-time employees remained high in financial services at 67.1%, construction at 66.0%, and transportation and warehousing at 65.6%. Shortages of non-regular employees also persisted, leaving companies with ongoing challenges in maintaining and securing operational staff.
The shortage of non-regular employees was highest in restaurants at 57.7% and has also spread to related sectors, including personnel staffing and placement, maintenance, security, and inspection services. The difficulty of securing workers is affecting day-to-day operations.
In the first half of 2026, from January through June, 227 companies went bankrupt due to labor shortages, up 12% from the same period a year earlier and a record high. The aging population and the difficulty of passing on knowledge and experience as workers retire are constraining companies' ability to accept orders, and views were expressed that the figure will remain high.