Economy, jobs and prices in Okinawa, Japan: official figures
Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Okinawa averaged 3.23 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 29th lowest of 262 cities and below the national average of 3,933.7 thousand yen per taxpayer. It is income before deductions, so it is not take-home pay.
How much income do people in Okinawa earn in total?
Residents of Okinawa had 175.1 billion yen of taxable income in total in fiscal 2024, from 54,283 resident-tax payers (38.0 per 100 residents, below the national figure (45.3)).
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people work in Okinawa?
At the 2020 census 48,643 residents of Okinawa were in work and 51,759 were in the labour force (working or seeking work), equal to 34.1 employed people per 100 residents of all ages, below the national figure (45.7).
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Okinawa?
The unemployment rate in Okinawa was 6.0% at the 2020 census (3,116 people out of 51,759 in the labour force), 2nd highest of 262 cities, above the national figure (3.8%). The census was taken during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyWhat are the main industries in Okinawa?
By sector, 1.1% of employed residents of Okinawa worked in primary industries (farming, forestry, fishing), 15.3% in secondary (mining, construction, manufacturing) and 78.2% in tertiary industries (services and the rest) at the 2020 census. Nationally the shares were 3.4%, 23.0% and 70.6%. The three do not add to 100% because some jobs are not classified.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people are self-employed in Okinawa?
81.4% of employed residents of Okinawa were employees (excluding company directors), 9.3% were self-employed business owners and 3.6% were directors, at the 2020 census; nationally 81.4% were employees.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people commute into Okinawa?
At the 2020 census 22,075 residents of Okinawa commuted to work in another municipality and 18,116 people living elsewhere commuted in. The daytime population was 138,249, or 96.8 per 100 night-time residents, 122nd lowest of 262 cities.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many businesses are there in Okinawa?
Okinawa had 5,163 private-sector business establishments employing 46,922 people in 2021 (government offices are excluded), about 9.1 workers per establishment.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big is manufacturing in Okinawa?
Factories in Okinawa shipped goods worth 53.2 billion yen in 2023 and employed 1,457 people in manufacturing in 2024.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much do shops and wholesalers sell in Okinawa?
Wholesale and retail businesses in Okinawa sold goods worth 133.7 billion yen in the year covered by the 2021 Economic Census (sales for 2020), across 987 commercial establishments employing 7,150 people.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many shops and restaurants are there in Okinawa?
Okinawa had 976 retail stores and 740 eating and drinking places in 2021, including 18 large retail stores (50+ staff) and 1 department stores or general supermarkets.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much farmland is there in Okinawa?
Farmland in Okinawa covered 1.00 square kilometres in 2024, 2.0% of the total area.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much waste does Okinawa recycle?
Okinawa produced 41,767 tonnes of household and business waste in 2023 and recycled 12.3% of it.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow Okinawa compares with other cities in Japan
Taxable income per resident-tax payer (fiscal 2024)
Okinawa ranks 234 of 262, highest first. Municipal resident tax base before deductions, from SSDS items C120110 and C120120
| Rank | City | Taxable income per resident-tax payer |
|---|---|---|
| 231 | Nagaoka | 3,247 thousand yen |
| 232 | Joetsu | 3,236 thousand yen |
| 233 | Aizuwakamatsu | 3,228 thousand yen |
| 234 | Okinawa | 3,226 thousand yen |
| 235 | Saijo | 3,218 thousand yen |
| 236 | Isahaya | 3,213 thousand yen |
| 237 | Iizuka | 3,209 thousand yen |
Unemployment rate (2020 census)
Okinawa ranks 2 of 262, highest first. Unemployed people as a share of the labour force, taken during the Covid-19 pandemic
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naha | 6.0% |
| 2 | Okinawa | 6.0% |
| 3 | Otaru | 6.0% |
| 4 | Uruma | 5.8% |
| 5 | Sakado | 5.7% |
| 6 | Kadoma | 5.7% |
| 7 | Ginowan | 5.6% |
Daytime population per 100 residents (2020 census)
Okinawa ranks 141 of 262, highest first. Above 100 means more people are in the city by day than live there.
| Rank | City | Daytime population per 100 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 138 | Toyohashi | 97.1 |
| 139 | Nishio | 97.1 |
| 140 | Saijo | 97.0 |
| 141 | Okinawa | 96.8 |
| 142 | Karatsu | 96.8 |
| 143 | Oshu | 96.8 |
| 144 | Kawagoe | 96.8 |
More on Okinawa: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in Japan
Sources
- Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Statistical Observations of Municipalities 2026 (social and demographic statistics, city, ward, town and village data), read 28 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2cb3d8c51aa1…)
- Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Statistical Observations of Prefectures 2026 (national figures, "All Japan" row), read 28 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b69774a5f40c…)
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