Following is the list of websites for social science statistics in Japan. As many of these imprints are available at our centre, please search on HERMES-Catalog and then contact the counter staff.
1 Government Statistical Resources
2 Economics/Financial Data
3 Company Data
4 Socio-Demographic Data
Below is the list of major websites for Japanese government statistics. Because Japan has decentralized statistical organizations, there are several organizations that conduct statistical work for their respective administrative fields; therefore, the statistical data are published under the jurisdiction of each ministry's website. In recent years, e-Stat has allowed for government statistical data to be searched for even if you do not know the name of the concerned department; however, most past data are only available in publications.
At the end of each item in this category, the organizational structure of each ministry and agency is explained; the details of departmental changes and organizational levels can be found on National Achives of Japan Digital Achive (Japanese only).
A one-stop government statistical information service based on the "Operation and system optimization plan for statistical surveys, etc. operations" decided on at the Liaison Meeting of Information Administration headquarters at each ministry office, this government statistical portal site was activated in 2008. It is maintained by the Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and is managed by the National Statistics Center, an independent administrative corporation. Each ministry can register statistical tables for release on e-Stat and can also link these to the list of e-Stat statistical tables on the statistics page of each ministry's website.
From this site, you can access any statistical institution in Japan, search by sector, and search all ministries that collect data. So there is a general review such as change of search method by renewal of January 2018, in addition to keyword search, statistical data can be downloaded as a pdf, a csv, or an html by selecting and narrowing down from 1. databases, 2. files, 3. fields, 4. organizations, and 5. regions. For each statistical table, as the classifications, responsible institutions, and other information are stored as data set information, it is possible to search for this.
In addition to the statistical tables, a "Summary of Survey" (purpose of the survey, target of the survey, etc.) and "results of the survey" (summary of the results, commentary on the terms, etc.) are displayed on the statistics page of each ministry's website. Further, in the "Statistics such as statistical yearbooks" tab of the Statistics Relations Links, back issues of comprehensive statistics, such as the "Japan Statistical Yearbook," can be found.
In addition, registered users can receive new distribution information by e-mail, also use a top page can be created dedicated to the user, API functions and statistics (jSTAT MAP) on a map (offering these services in Japanese).
The Bureau of Statistics designs, implements, and disseminates official Japanese surveys such as the census, population movement statistics, and housing and land statistics surveys. Some statistical surveys can be downloaded in Excel format; a link to the list of available Excel files is displayed on the website.
The "Statistical Compendia" also includes the "Japan Statistical Yearbook," the "Statistical Handbook of Japan," the "Historical Statistics of Japan," and the "Social Indicators by Prefecture." Tables can be downloaded in Excel format, and other information can be downloaded in pdf or html format. Please also refer to our library collection at HERMES-Catalog.
Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications was established through the Establishment Law, after which the appropriate missions and administrative affairs offices were established within the ministry to conduct the administrative affairs under its jurisdiction. The Bureau of Statistics was established as an internal department in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to be the central statistical body for the Government of Japan responsible for national statistics; each ministry also collates statistics related to their own administrative functions.
■ The independent administrative agencies under its jurisdiction are as follows: the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, the National Statistics Center, and the Management Organization for Postal Savings and Postal Life Insurance.
Statistics available from the Cabinet Office include monthly economic reports, economics-related surveys (forecasts, situations, consumers, business confidence, etc.), and national accounts. It is also possible to set a new arrival information mail delivery service (ESRI). Reports are generally provided in html or pdf format and statistical information is also provided in Excel or html format.
Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office was established in 2001, after the reorganization of the central ministries and agencies through the Establishment Law to assist in the planning and comprehensive adjustment of policies, which was to be directed by the Cabinet. The Imperial Household Agency is an organization belonging to the administration of the Prime Minister, and there are National Public Safety Commission, Financial Services Agency as an extra-ministerial bureau.
■ The independent administrative agencies under its jurisdiction are as follows: the National Archives of Japan, the Northern Territories Issue Association, and the Japanese Agency for Medical Research and Development.
On the statistics page (Japanese only) of the National Police Agency site, there are reports on police-related topics from the past 10 years, which can be downloaded in pdf or html format. There are also links to cybercrime information and statistics, and there are also some crime statistics on the English language page. The white paper section (Japanese only) provides html format white paper tables of contents (full texts from 2000) since 1973.
National Police Agency
The National Police Agency was established through the Establishment Law, after which the appropriate missions and administrative affairs offices were established within the ministry to conduct the administrative affairs under its jurisdiction. It was established at the National Public Safety Commission under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister.
The white papers and statistics pages are only in Japanese and are linked to reports on crime, human rights education, immigration policy, and the ministry agency yearbooks. Reports from the past 10 years are available in html or pdf format. White paper data after 2000 can also be viewed on the English page, with figures from 2013 available in Excel format.
Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Justice was established through the Establishment Law, after which the appropriate missions and administrative affairs offices were established within the ministry to conduct the administrative affairs under its jurisdiction. It has the Public Security Examination Commission, and the Public Security Intelligence Agency as an extra-ministerial bureau.
The Ministry of Finance website has information about the government agencies that deal with economic issues. On the statistics page, as well as html summaries and release schedules, the full texts of additional reports are available in pdf format, such as government budget documents, government bond reports, trade statistics, and information about the international balance of payments. The investigation period varies depending on the report, but in most cases it can be used from the mid-1990s back to the latter half. There is also a link to the fiscal statistics and the budget and accounts database (1947~) on the "関連資料・データ" page of "予算・決算" (Japanese only).
Ministry of Finance
The Ministry of Finance was established through the Establishment Law, after which the appropriate missions and administrative affairs offices were established within the ministry to conduct the administrative affairs under its jurisdiction. It has the National Tax Agency as an extra-ministerial bureau.
■ The independent administrative agencies under its jurisdiction are as follows: the National Research Institute of Brewing (NRIB), the Japanese Mint, and the National Printing Bureau.
The National Tax Agency website provides statistical annual report data from 2004 in pdf format. On the Japanese page, statistical annual report data from 1989 onwards are provided in both pdf and Excel format. Long-term time series data from 1949 can also be obtained in Excel format.
National Tax Agency
The National Tax Agency is an extra-ministerial bureau of the Ministry of Finance. It was established though the Ministry of Finance Establishment Law, after which the appropriate missions and administrative affairs offices were established within the ministry to conduct the administrative affairs under its jurisdiction.
The Bank of Japan reports, publications, and opinion surveys are usually provided in pdf or html format, while statistical data are provided in Excel, lzh, or csv files. Coverage starts from 2000, and there is information on various statistics: money stock and fund flows, Tankan (short-term economic observation surveys of Japanese companies), corporate price index (CGPI), balance of payment statistics (BOP), and time series data. Please also refer to the "Research and Studies" page.
Bank of Japan
The Bank of Japan, the central bank of Japan, is a licensed corporation under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance, and it was founded under the Bank of Japan Law in accordance with the Bank of Japan ordinance enacted in 1879. It has been reorganized several times since then.
For details on the transition, please refer to the website of the Bank of Japan.
This website provides statistical information from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Agency for Cultural Affairs in the form of pdf and Excel. Detailed information on the data collection methods as well as long-term data are available.
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology was established through the Establishment Law, after which the appropriate missions and administrative affairs offices were established within the ministry to conduct the administrative affairs under its jurisdiction. It has the Agency for Cultural Affairs as an extra-ministerial bureau.
■ The independent administrative agencies under its jurisdiction are as follows: The National Institute of Special Education, the National Center for University Entrance Examinations, the National Institution For Youth Education, the National Women's Education Center, the National Museum of Nature and Science, the National Institute for Materials Science, the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience, the National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, the National Museum of Art, the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, the National Institute for School Teachers and Staff Development, the Japan Science and Technology Agency, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the Japan Sport Council, the Japan Arts Council, the Japan Student Services Organization, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, the National Institute of Technology, the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education, and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency.
The site includes many statistical reports and data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Together with an explanation about the surveys carried out by the province, reports can be downloaded in html or pdf format. The List of Statistical Surveys conducted by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare provides data on the key health, labor, and welfare surveys. The content in the survey forms, the survey items, and the survey methods are also available, and results summaries, reports, and statistical tables are provided in various formats, including Excel and pdf.
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Established as the National Research and Development Agency under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for the promotion of science and technology.
Established by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Establishment Law, after which the appropriate missions and administrative affairs offices were established within the ministry to conduct the administrative affairs under its jurisdiction. It has the Central Labor Relations Commission as an extra-ministerial bureau. The mission of the former Social Insurance Agency was handed over to the Japan Pension Service of the special corporation.
■ The independent administrative agencies under the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare are as follows: the National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition; the Japan Organization of Occupational Health and Safety; the Organization for Workers Retirement Allowance Mutual Aid; the Japan Organization for Employment of the Elderly, Persons with Disabilities and Job Seekers; the Welfare And Medical Service Agency; the Independent Administrative Institution National Center for Presons with Severe Intellectual Disabilities, Nozominosono; The Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training; the National Hospital Organization; the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency; the Japan Community Health Care Organization; the Government Pension Investment Fund; the National Cancer Center; the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Hospital; the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry; the National Center for Global Health and Medicine; the National Center for Child Health and Development; and the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology.
This page provides links to statistical and policy reports on a wide range of topics related to the activities of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. "The Monthly Statistics of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries," the "Statistical Yearbook of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries," and the "Annual Report" are provided in pdf or Excel format. In addition, there is rich content available in Excel on industrial statistics such as food (rice, processed foods, etc.), year, and municipalities.
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries was established through the Establishment Law, after which the appropriate missions and administrative affairs offices were established within the ministry to conduct the administrative affairs under its jurisdiction. It has the Forestry Agency and the Fisheries Agency as the extra-ministerial bureaux.
■ The independent administrative agencies under its jurisdiction are as follows: the Food and Agricultural Materials Inspection Center; the National Livestock Breeding Center; the Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency; the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization; the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences; the Forest Research and Management Organization; the Agriculture & Livestock Industries Corporation; the Farmers' Pension Fund; and the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Credit Foundations.
The site has up-to-date statistical information on the political economy, such as industrial production, main indices, oil statistics, economic and industrial policies, small and medium enterprise data, energy, and industrial economic trend surveys. On the "statistics" page, there are reports on the indices as well as industrial, commercial, service industry, and enterprise input-output tables and economic structure statistics, which can be downloaded in pdf or Excel format; in some cases, csv files are also available. There are white papers and reports in the "Policies" section that are in pdf or html format. Legal information and documents on councils/study groups as well as information on budgets and the tax system FILP, policy evaluations, and technological evaluations are available.
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry was established through the Establishment Law, after which the appropriate missions and administrative affairs offices were established within the ministry to conduct the administrative affairs under its jurisdiction. It has the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, the Japanese Patent Office, and the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency as the extra-ministerial bureaux.
■ The independent administrative agencies under its jurisdiction are as follows: the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry; the National Center for Industrial Property Information and Training; the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology; the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation; the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization; the Japan External Trade Organization; the Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan; the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation; and the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation.
This website provides information on the responsible departments, energy policies, white papers, and reports and statistics on various energy-related topics. Information can be accessed in various formats such as Excel, pdf, and html.
Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy was established as an extra-ministerial bureau under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. It was established through the Establishment Law, after which the appropriate missions and administrative affairs offices were established within the ministry to conduct the administrative affairs under its jurisdiction.
Includes links to the Japan Platform for Patent Information (J-PlatPat) operated by the National Center for Industrial Property Information and Training and links to various patent resources, statistics, and reports. With J-PlatPat, it is possible to search over 100 million patents and utility models, designs, trademarks, and figures, as well as information on referees. Most statistical information can be accessed in pdf or Excel format.
Japan Patent Office
Japan Patent Office is an extra-ministerial bureau of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. It is responsible for affairs related to industrial property rights.
The statistics page of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has links to e-Stat for both monthly and annual data on building starts, housing starts, current surveys on orders received for construction, etc., all of which are available in pdf, html, and Excel formats. There is also a page for "White papers/Reports".
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism was established through the Establishment Law, after which the appropriate missions and administrative affairs offices were established within the ministry to conduct the administrative affairs under its jurisdiction. . It has the Japan Tourism Agency, the Japan Meteorological Agency, the Japan Transport Safety Board, and the Japan Coast Guard as the extra-ministerial bureaux.
■ The independent administrative agencies under its jurisdiction are as follows: the Public Works Research Institute; the Building Research Institute; the National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology; the Japan agency of Maritime Education and Training for Seafarers; the Civil Aviation College; the National Agency for Automobile and Land Transport Technology; the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency; the Japan National Tourism Organization; the Japan Water Agency; the National Agency for Automotive Safety & Victims' Aid; the Organization for Environment Improvement around International Airport; the Urban Renaissance Agency; the Fund for the Promotion and Development of the Amami Islands; the Japan Expressway Holding and Debt Repayment Agency; and the Japan Housing Finance Agency.
A database that allows you to search for surveys and reports conducted by the Ministry of the Environment and statistical reports/surveys on environmental issues published on the web (Japanese only) as well as recently published "Annual Report on Environmental Statistics." You can browse white papers, environmental standards, and other government statistics sites.
Ministry of the Environment
The Ministry of the Environment was established through the Establishment Law, after which the appropriate missions and administrative affairs offices were established within the ministry to conduct the administrative affairs under its jurisdiction.
■ The independent administrative agencies under its jurisdiction are as follows: the National Institute for Environmental Studies and the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency.
Within this category, we focus on country- and sector-level variables, indicators, and forecasts. There are information sources for trade, banking transactions, debt, and government and national accounts. Past data publications are also available.
The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) was a Cabinet Office think tank established in 2001. This database, which was created as a joint project between the university and the government, has 84 departments, including 49 non-manufacturing industries. It is composed of capital and labor input data for estimating TFP growth rates, annual data for the input-output table, and incidental data such as technical knowledge stocks and industry-specific trade by partner countries from 1970 to 1998. The data tables are provided in Excel format.
The Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI) was a policy think tank established in 2001 that systematically developed a policy analysis database for economics, trade, and industry, for which outlines and data are provided for each project. On the "Research/Policy Papers" page, you can access the discussion papers in pdf format.
Various statistics on basic economic indicators, trade, investment, and international balance of payments are posted. The trade statistics have been converted into dollars using the method the Ministry of Finance announced in March 1996; the investment statistics and international balance of payments statistics are also converted in dollars. The "Survey reports" are available in pdf format.
The Development Bank of Japan Inc. was established in 1999 from the former Japan Development Bank and the former Hokkaido-Tohoku Development Finance Public Corporation, and it has various departments focused on energy-related topics such as energy policies, white papers, reports, and statistical information. Many of the "Survey Reports" are available in pdf format, and a "金融用語集" (financial term glossary page) (Japanese only) is also available. Most information is available in various formats such as Excel, pdf, and html.
The website of the most influential general economic organization in Japan, which provides texts of the "Policy Proposals" prepared by Keidanren.
The Keizai Koho Center was founded in 1978 and is a general foundation corporation. The "English Comparative Statistics Collection" (1980-2015) includes statistical data on Japan and major countries and provides statistics on world trends and Japan up to 2015, which are currently being published under the title "Japan and the World." You can access statistical data in part pdf format from the page "We inform".
Corporate information databases released by government agencies and private companies. This site is useful when you want to examine company information (history, business operators, financial statements, revenue reports, annual reports, recent news, stock exchange information, etc.).
These services are managed by the Financial Services Agency. Here you can view disclosure documents such as securities reports. Currently, EDINET requires companies to submit securities reports, change reports, and bulk ownership reports. The in-line XBRL method allows users to easily analyze and process the posted data.
A comprehensive corporate information database for domestic public companies and others. In addition to the system disclosure information submitted to the Financial Services Agency and financial instruments exchanges, other company information is also included (financial statements, annual reports, income statements, business reports, company profiles, IR materials, press releases, etc.). Full text securities reports from 1961 are available. The interface can be interrogated in English, Chinese, and Korean, with the subject name of the financial data being displayed in each language.
There are also data comparing and analyzing functions and information on departments, energy policies, white papers, reports, and statistics on various energy related topics. Information can be used in various formats such as Excel, pdf, html.
Login with the "Automatic authentication login" button. As there is a limit to the number of simultaneous accesses, be sure to click "logout" and exit after the search ends.
An online database that enables you to search for and browse economic, business, and corporate information magazines from Toyo Keizai Shimbun such as "Weekly Toyo Keizai," "Hitotsubashi Business Review," "会社四季報 (Company Quarterly Report)," and "就職四季報 (Employment Quarterly Report)." It can be utilized in various ways such as cross-searching all media or narrowing your search to only company information (data book).
In this category, we introduce websites that include socio-demographic and income and wealth data such as populations, labor and employment, communication and culture, gender issues, and public health.
Relation: Center for Intergenerational Studies, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University
An independent administrative agency under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare that provides comprehensive research reports on labor-training projects. (The abbreviation is JILPT, and there is 労働大学校 in the organization.) After 2017, the survey statistics were integrated into the e-Stat of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications statistics bureau and can be mainly accessed in Excel format. The survey system is summarized in the "Information service" area, and in the "Statistics" section, there are the "Main labor economic indicators," "Recent statistical survey reports," and "Databook of international labor statistics." Reports are available from 2000; however, a retrospective search before then is not possible.
Relevant regulations: 独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構法 (Japanese only)
Publications: "Japan Labor Issues"; "Japan Labor Review"; "Labor Situation in Japan and its Analysis"; "Japanese Working Life Profile"; "JILPT Research Report" (English summaries on JILPT's website, originally in Japanese); "The Japanese Journal of Labour Studies" (English abstracts on JILPT's website, originally in Japanese); etc. *Please also refer to our library collection at HERMES-Catalog.
Related information: List of independent administrative agencies under Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japanese only)
An institute under the administrative jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, it conducts research and develops reports on welfare states, such as population research; social security research; and surveys on population, the economy, and social security. Further, the main surveys available are based on data from the most recent census; therefore, you can find data and reports for future population trends and basic birth trend surveys that are estimated in consideration of birth and death rates. On the top page, there are surveys and reports on "The Financial Statistics of Social Security in Japan" and "Annual Population and Social Security Surveys," among others. The collection search (Japanese only) can be divided into collected books/magazines and survey reports/institutional magazines. In addition, a "Survey Sheet" from 2000 can be downloaded (Japanese only). As most content dates from the 1990s, it is not possible to search for data before this time.
Associated Publications: "Journal of Population Problems" (English abstracts on IPSS's website, originally in Japanese); "Social Security in Japan" (English abstracts on IPSS's website, originally in Japanese); "The Japanese Journal of Population"; "The Japanese Journal of Social Security Policy"; "研究叢書" (Japanese only); "研究報告書" (Japanese only); etc. *Please also refer to our library collection at HERMES-Catalog.