Recent Statistical Survey Reports, March 2026

March 2026(PDF:356KB)

Statistical Survey Reports

Survey on Public Assistance Recipients (December)

March 4, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The number of welfare recipients in December was 1,984,293 and the number of households of welfare recipients was 1,646,424.

Indexes of Business Conditions January 2026 (Preliminary Release)

March 9, released by the Cabinet Office

The Coincident Index of Composite Index (CI, preliminary figures, 2020=100) in January was 116.8, increased by 2.5 point from the previous month. And 3 months backward moving average was increased by 0.37 point, and 7 months backward moving average was increased by 0.13 point. So, the Assessment of Coincident Index was “Halting to fall” (The same as the previous month (Revised Release))

The Leading Index was 112.4, an increase of 2.1 point, and the Lagging Index was 110.3, a decrease of 0.8 point.

March 25 Indexes of Business Conditions January 2026 (Revision of the Preliminary Release)

Monthly Labour Survey (Provisional Report in January)

March 9, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Total amount of cash earnings increased by 3.0% (full-time employees increased by 3.3%, part-time employees increased by 2.6%) from a year earlier and contractual cash earnings increased by 3.0% (full-time employees increased by 3.3%, part-time employees increased by 2.8%) from a year earlier.

Special cash earnings increased by 3.8 % from a year earlier. Scheduled cash earnings increased by 3.0 % and non-scheduled cash earnings increased by 3.3% from a year earlier. Real wage (total cash earnings) (deflated by CPI (all items less imputed rent)) increased by 1.4%, real wage (total cash earnings) (deflated by CPI (all items)) increased by 1.6 % and real wage (contractual cash earnings) (deflated by CPI (all items less imputed rent)) increased by 1.3 % from a year earlier.

Total hours decreased by 0.1%, scheduled hours worked decreased by 0.1% and non-scheduled hours worked decreased by 1.1% from a year earlier.

Non-scheduled hours worked by manufacturing industry workers increased by 2.3% from the previous month (seasonally adjusted).

Family Income and Expenditure Survey (January)

March 10, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The average monthly income for a worker’s households with 2 or more family members was up 1.3% in real terms from the previous year. The change over the year of wages & salaries was up 1.3% in real terms from the previous year (household heads: 1.9% in real terms, spouse of household: -1.8% in real terms).

The average of consumption expenditures for a worker’s household with 2 or more family members was down 0.7% in real terms from the previous year.

National Accounts (The 2nd Preliminary Estimates Oct.-Dec.2025)

March 10, released by the Cabinet Office

Real GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate (Seasonally Adjusted) at Oct.-Dec.2025 was 0.3% (1.3% on annual basis). Of real GDP growth rate, 0.3%pt was contributed by domestic demand and -0.0pt% by external demand.

Nominal GDP growth rate (Seasonally Adjusted) at Oct.-Dec 2025 was 0.9% (3.5% on annual basis). Compensation of Employees (real) was 0.5% (uses consumption of households (excluding imputed rent and FISIM) deflator) and 0.5% (uses consumption of households deflator) (changes from the previous quarter (seasonally adjusted)).

Compensation of Employees (nominal) was 1.0% (changes from the previous quarter (seasonally adjusted)).

Quartely Estimates of GDP: Oct.~Dec.2025 (The 2nd Preliminary Estimates) Growth rate of GDP from the previous Quarters(seasonally adjusted) Contributions of Domestic Demand and External Demand to Changes in GDP

Survey on Situation of Preliminary Job Offers for New Graduate in Mar.2026 (University, etc.) (February 1, 2026)

March 17, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

The ratio of final-year university students who got an official job offer to applicants was 92.0%, decreased by 0.6 point from the same period a year earlier.

Trend in the percentage of final-year university students with official job offer

Indices of Industrial Production (Revised Report for January 2026)

March 19, released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

The index of industrial production (seasonally adjusted, 2020=100) was 104.5, increased by 4.3% from the previous month.

Consumer Price Index Japan (February)

March 24, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The consumer price index for Japan in February 2026 was 112.2 (2020=100), up 1.3% over the year. All items, less fresh food, the comprehensive index was 111.4, up 1.6% from the previous year. All items less imputed rent was 114.3 up 1.4% from the previous year. All items, less fresh food and energy, the comprehensive index was 111.5, up 2.5% from the previous year.

Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2025)

March 24, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The average scheduled cash earning for general employees was 340,600yen (an increase of 3.1% from the previous year), that for men was 373,400yen (an increase of 2.8% from the previous year) and that for women was 285,900yen (an increase of 3.9% from the previous year).

Hourly wages of part-time employees was 1,518yen (an increase of 2.8% from the previous year), that for men was 1,769yen (an increase of 4.1% from the previous year), that for women was 1,418yen (an increase of 2.2% from the previous year).

Indexes of Business Conditions January 2026 (Revised Release)

March 25, released by the Cabinet Office

The Coincident Index of Composite Index (CI, revised figures, 2020=100) in January was 117.9, increased by 3.4 point. And 3 months backward moving average increased by 0.77 point, and 7 months backward moving average increased by 0.31 point. So, the Assessment of Coincident Index was “Halting to fall” (The same as Preliminary Release.)

The Leading Index was 112.1, an increase of 1.7 point and the Lagging Index was 112.2, an increase of 0.1 point.

Survey on Supply and Demand of Construction Labor

March 25, released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Survey on Labor Economic Trend (February 2026)

March 30, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

By the judgment of employment surplus or shortage D.I. as of February 1, 2026, regular staff, etc. accounted for 49 point and that of part-time workers accounted for 28 point.

Consumer Price Index Ku-area of Tokyo (March) (preliminary)

March 31, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The consumer price index for Ku-area of Tokyo in March 2026 (preliminary) was 111.7 (2020=100), up 1.4% from the previous year. All items, less fresh food, the comprehensive index was 110.0 up 1.7% from the previous year. All items less imputed rent was 113.9 up 1.5% from the previous year. All items, less fresh food and energy, the comprehensive index was 111.0 up 2.3% from the previous year.

Labour Force Survey (February)

March 31, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) was 2.6%, decreased by 0.1 point from the previous month. That for men was 2.8%, decreased by 0.1 point from the previous month and that for women was 2.4%, decreased by 0.1 point from the previous month. The number of unemployed persons (seasonally adjusted) was 1.85 million, decreased by 60 thousand from the previous month.

The number of employees was 61.76 million, increased by 240 thousand from the previous year.

Among them, the number of regular employee was 36.74 million, increased by 300 thousand from the previous year and the number of non-regular employee was 21.56 million, increased by 90 thousand from the previous year.

Employment Referrals for General Workers (February)

March 31, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Active job openings-to-applicants ratio (seasonally adjusted) was 1.19, increased by 0.01 point from the previous month.

The number of monthly active job openings (person(s)) (seasonally adjusted) was decreased by 0.2% from the previous month and the number of monthly active applications (person(s)) (seasonally adjusted) was decreased by 0.5% from the previous month.

New job openings-to-applicants ratio (seasonally adjusted) was 2.10, decreased by 0.01 point from the previous month.

Active job openings-to-applicants ratio for regular staff (seasonally adjusted) was 0.99, unchanged from the previous month.

Trend in Unemployment Rate and Ratio of Active Job Openings to Applicants (seasonally adjusted)

Indices of Industrial Production (Preliminary Report for February 2026)

March 31, released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

The index of industrial production (seasonally adjusted, 2020=100) was 102.3, decreased by 2.1% from the previous month. According to the Survey of Production Forecast in Manufacturing, Production is expected to increase in March and April.

Other Reports

Monthly Economic Report (March)

March 27 released by the Cabinet Office

The Japanese economy is recovering at a moderate pace, while attention should be given to the effects caused from the situation in the Middle East. (In the previous month, “The Japanese economy is recovering at a moderate pace, while the effects caused from the U.S. trade policies remain”)

• Private consumption shows movements of picking up. (The same as the previous month)
• Business investment is picking up moderately. (The same as the previous month)
• Exports are almost flat. (The same as the previous month)
• Industrial production is flat. (The same as the previous month)
• Corporate profits, while affected by the U.S. trade policies, show movements of improvement. Firms' judgments on current business conditions have been almost flat. (The same as the previous month)
• The employment situation shows movements of improvement. (The same as the previous month)
• Consumer prices have been rising moderately recently. (In the previous month, “Consumer prices have been rising at a slower tempo recently”)