Corporate bankruptcies in Japan totaled 9,372 from January to November, likely pushing the 2025 figure above 10,000 for the second consecutive year, a credit research firm reported on Monday. Bankruptcies with liabilities of at least 10 million yen fell 7.5 percent year-on-year to 778 in November.
A survey by Tokyo Shoko Research indicates that Japan's corporate bankruptcies will likely surpass 10,000 in 2025, matching the previous year's total, driven by challenges facing small businesses from rising prices and labor shortages. In November, the total liabilities from bankruptcies dropped 48.6 percent year-on-year to 82.4 billion yen, with cases involving at least 500 million yen in liabilities halving.
By sector, the services industry recorded the highest number at 250 bankruptcies in November, a 17.8 percent decline from the prior year. Over the January-to-November period, 700 firms failed due to inflationary pressures, up 7.4 percent, as the weak yen exacerbated costs for food and energy.
These figures highlight ongoing economic strains, with cost increases and workforce gaps continuing to burden companies. The report was released on Monday.