JAPAN

1. Name and address of the organization responsible for the census:

Population Census Division, Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications 19-1 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8668.

2. Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1947, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995 and 2000. The present description relates to the 2000 population census (held on 1st October).

3. Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope: Whole country, with the exception of the following islands: (i) Habomai-gunto, Shikotan-to, Kunashiri-to and Etorofu-to; and (ii) Takeshima in Goka-mura, Shimane-ken.

(b) Persons covered: All persons of all ages, except foreign diplomatic corps, their suite and their dependents; foreign military personnel including both military corps and civilians, and their dependents; residents abroad (among Japanese who are staying in foreign countries, those who are expected to be absent from their respective homes for three months or more around the date of the census).

4. Reference period:

The week preceding the day of the census (i.e. 24-30 September 2000).

5. Main topics:

(a) Total population, by sex and age: yes

Economically active population by:

(b) Sex and age group: yes

(d) Occupation: yes

(e) Status in employment: yes

(f) Highest educational level: yes

(g) Hours of work: yes

(h) Other characteristics: yes

Re (a): The age is defined in terms of age at last birthday.

Re (h): The census also collected information concerning the means of transport used for commuting.

6. Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population: It comprises all persons aged 15 years and over who, during the reference week, were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below. The definition also includes self-defence forces, which are classified as government workers.

(b) Employment: The question used to determine whether a person is to be counted as employed was: “Did the person work at any time during the week from 24 to 30 September?”. Possible answers were: (i) mostly worked; (ii) worked in addition to regular housework; (iii) worked while attending school; (iv) had a job, but was temporarily absent from work; (v) looked for a job; (vi) did housework; (vii) attended school; (viii) other. Those who classified themselves under (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) were counted as employed.

It is reported that the following categories are included:

i) persons doing unpaid work in a family firm or business;

ii) employed persons, temporarily absent from work;

iii) working students with a part-time job;

iv) seasonal or occasional workers;

v) apprentices and trainees: when persons' status and salaries or wages are guaranteed by the company for which they work while receiving education, they are considered as employed persons and included in the economically active population.

Only persons belonging to categories (ii) and (iii) can be identified separately. Working students with a part-time job can be identified with ‘worked while attending school’; however, as far as the student’s job is concerned, it cannot be distinguished whether it is a part-time or a full-time job.

(c) Unemployment: Considered as unemployed are all persons who, during the reference period, were without work and seeking work. To determine whether a person is to be counted as unemployed, the question used was the same as that indicated under 6(b) above. Students seeking work are excluded from the definition.

7. Classifications used:

Only employed persons are classified by industry, by occupation and by status in employment.

(a) Industry: Specific questions were asked of employed persons on the name of the establishment and kind of business, as well as the kind of products or goods. For coding industry, 14 major groups, 77 medium groups and 223 minor groups were used. Links to ISIC-rev.2 have been established to the major group (3-digit) level.

(b) Occupation: Specific questions were asked of employed persons on the occupation and kind of work. For coding occupation, 10 major groups, 61 medium groups and 293 minor groups were used. Links to ISCO-68 have been established to the major group (1-digit) level.

(c) Status in Employment: All employed persons are classified into the following six categories, according to their employment status in the establishment where they were at work during the week before the census date: (1) Employees: those employed by a person, company, corporation or government office, etc., that is, office workers, factory workers, public servants, officers of a corporation, employees in a private retail shop, domestic servants, daily or temporary workers, etc. are included; (‘Regular employees’ are persons whose employment period is not limited or is more than one year and ‘Temporary employees’ are persons whose employment period is set at less than a year, or who are employed on a daily basis). (2) Directors: Directors of a company or a corporation including managing directors. (3) Self-employed, employing others: Persons who ran a business employing others, i.e., proprietors of private shops and factories, farmers, medical practitioners, lawyers, who had one or more employees. (4) Self-employed, not employing others: Persons who ran a business without employees. (5) Family workers: Persons who worked in a business, farm, trade or professional enterprise operated by a member of the household in which they lived. (6) Persons doing home handicraft: Persons who were doing home handicraft work.

(d) Level of Education: All persons are classified into the following three categories according to ‘school attendance’: (1) Persons graduated from school, i.e. those who had graduated from school and were not attending school at the census date. (2) Persons attending school, i.e. those who were attending school at the census date. (3) Persons who had never attended school, i.e. those who had never attended school as well as those who had left before finishing the elementary school. (Refers to regular schools only). Persons who graduated from school are classified into the following four categories according to ‘type of last school completed’: (i) Elementary school, junior high school or high elementary school; (ii) Senior high school or middle school; (iii) Junior college or higher professional school; (iv) College, university or graduate course.

8. Main differences compared with the previous census:

New topics surveyed in the 2000 Population Census were:

- Duration of residency at the current domicile;

- Hours actually worked during the week.

Topics done away with in the 2000 Population Census were:

- Number of dwelling rooms;

- Commuting time to the place of work or school.

9. Publication of the census results:

The title of the publication containing the census results is “2000 Population Census of Japan”.

The organization responsible for this publication is the Population Census Division, Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications, 19-1 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8668.

The census results are also available in the form of unpublished tables and magnetic tapes.