The active job openings-to-applicants ratio was 1.18x in August 2026 on a seasonally adjusted basis, while the unemployment rate rose to 2.5%. New job openings fell 3.4% year on year, below the year-earlier level for the second consecutive month.
According to the August labor market data report, the active job openings-to-applicants ratio was 1.18x in August 2026 on a seasonally adjusted basis, unchanged from the previous month. The year-on-year change was down 0.03 percentage points. The ratio for part-time positions alone was 1.08x, while the ratio for regular employees was 1.00x, unchanged from the year-earlier level.
The unemployment rate was 2.5%, up 0.1 percentage points month on month and down 0.1 percentage points year on year. By age group, the year-on-year change for those aged 15–24 was down 0.7 percentage points. The number of unemployed people was 1.8 million, down 20,000 year on year.
New job openings fell 3.4% year on year, below the year-earlier level for the second consecutive month. By industry, manufacturing and information and communications increased, while accommodation and food services, wholesale and retail, and lifestyle-related services declined.
This report is prepared monthly by ツナグ働き方研究所 based on data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The cited sources include the institute’s analysis and publicly available data.