[Research Report] February 2026 Active Job Opening-to-Application Ratio at 1.19x, Unemployment Rate at 2.6%
Tsugu Work Style Institute, under Tsugu Group Holdings, released its February 2026 labor market data report. The active job opening-to-application ratio rose to 1.19x for the first time in two months, while the unemployment rate reversed its upward trend to 2.6%. New job openings decreased by 7.8% year-on-year, indicating significant fluctuations in the labor market.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 25, 2026 at 02:15 (14h 43m after Collected)
RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) and recruitment consulting company, Tsugu Group Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President & Executive Officer: Mitsuhiro Yoneda), is the parent company of Tsugu Work Style Institute (Base: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Director: Hiroshi Ohno), a research institution for diverse work styles established in 2015. The Institute curates and summarizes labor market-related data announced by government agencies and others, and publishes a "Labor Market Data Report" every month. This time, based on the latest data announced in late March, we are pleased to report on the February 2026 report.
Report details here
## Topics
1. The active job opening-to-application ratio for February was 1.19x. This is the first increase from the previous month in two months.
2. The complete unemployment rate was 2.6%, a reversal from the previous month's increase.
3. The growth rate of new job openings decreased by 7.8% year-on-year. This is the tenth consecutive month that it has fallen below the previous year's level.
### 1: The active job opening-to-application ratio for February was 1.19x. This is the first increase from the previous month in two months.
The active job opening-to-application ratio (seasonally adjusted value) for February 2026 was 1.19x, an increase of 0.01 points from the previous month. This is the first increase from the previous month in two months. Compared to the same month last year, it decreased by 0.06 points.
The job opening-to-application ratio for part-time workers only (seasonally adjusted value) was 1.12x, a decrease of 0.05 points compared to the same month last year. The active job opening-to-application ratio for regular employees (seasonally adjusted value) was 0.99x, a decrease of 0.04 points compared to the same month last year, and remained below 1x for the fifth consecutive month.
### 2: The complete unemployment rate was 2.6%, a reversal from the previous month's increase.
The complete unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted value) for February 2026 was 2.6%, a decrease of 0.1 points from the previous month. Compared to the same month last year, it increased by 0.2 points. In January, it increased from the previous month for the first time in five months, but in February, it decreased again. By age group, only 15-24 year olds (-0.2 points) saw a decrease compared to the same month last year. The number of completely unemployed persons was 1.8 million, an increase of 150,000 compared to the same month last year.
### 3: The growth rate of new job openings decreased by 7.8% year-on-year. This is the tenth consecutive month that it has fallen below the previous year's level.
The number of new job openings in February 2026 decreased by 7.8% year-on-year, marking the tenth consecutive month of being below the previous year's level. By industry, the growth rate decreased in wholesale and retail trade (-17.9%), living-related services and entertainment (-17.0%), accommodations and eating and drinking services (-14.7%), information and communications (-9.5%), education and learning support (-6.5%), and others.
*1) Our institute defines seven major industries with a large scale of job openings and a high proportion of part-time and temporary workers among employees. Specifically, these are construction, manufacturing, transport and postal services, wholesale and retail trade, accommodations and eating and drinking services, living-related services, and services (not elsewhere classified).
## Sources
* Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare "General Employment Placement (February 2026)"
* Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications "Labor Force Survey (Basic Tabulation) Results for February 2026 (Reiwa 8)"
## About Tsugu Work Style Institute
Established in 2015, Tsugu Work Style Institute is a research institution for diverse work styles, formed by Tsugu Group Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President & Executive Officer: Mitsuhiro Yoneda). In collaboration with experts active in corporate human resources and labor law fields, the institute explains the key points and perspectives of enacted labor laws, records and analyzes the process and background leading to revisions, and proposes "ideal forms" of labor. As a research institution for all labor laws surrounding "work," it pioneers "the future of employment."
See details
Tsugu Group Holdings Co., Ltd. (TSE Standard, Securities Code: 6551)
Location: Hulic Ginza 7-chome Building 7F/8F, 7-3-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Mitsuhiro Yoneda, Representative Director and President & Executive Officer
Business activities: Formulation and management of business strategies for the group engaged in recruitment solutions (recruitment consulting, outsourcing, etc.), temporary staffing business, and paid employment placement business, as well as incidental operations.
URL: https://tghd.co.jp/
Tsugu Group, a solution company aiming to resolve Japan's social issue of the "2030 labor supply-demand gap," provides a wide range of solutions centered on consulting, RPO (recruitment process outsourcing), and databases, primarily to major companies with over 1,000 employees.
Report details here
## Topics
1. The active job opening-to-application ratio for February was 1.19x. This is the first increase from the previous month in two months.
2. The complete unemployment rate was 2.6%, a reversal from the previous month's increase.
3. The growth rate of new job openings decreased by 7.8% year-on-year. This is the tenth consecutive month that it has fallen below the previous year's level.
### 1: The active job opening-to-application ratio for February was 1.19x. This is the first increase from the previous month in two months.
The active job opening-to-application ratio (seasonally adjusted value) for February 2026 was 1.19x, an increase of 0.01 points from the previous month. This is the first increase from the previous month in two months. Compared to the same month last year, it decreased by 0.06 points.
The job opening-to-application ratio for part-time workers only (seasonally adjusted value) was 1.12x, a decrease of 0.05 points compared to the same month last year. The active job opening-to-application ratio for regular employees (seasonally adjusted value) was 0.99x, a decrease of 0.04 points compared to the same month last year, and remained below 1x for the fifth consecutive month.
### 2: The complete unemployment rate was 2.6%, a reversal from the previous month's increase.
The complete unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted value) for February 2026 was 2.6%, a decrease of 0.1 points from the previous month. Compared to the same month last year, it increased by 0.2 points. In January, it increased from the previous month for the first time in five months, but in February, it decreased again. By age group, only 15-24 year olds (-0.2 points) saw a decrease compared to the same month last year. The number of completely unemployed persons was 1.8 million, an increase of 150,000 compared to the same month last year.
### 3: The growth rate of new job openings decreased by 7.8% year-on-year. This is the tenth consecutive month that it has fallen below the previous year's level.
The number of new job openings in February 2026 decreased by 7.8% year-on-year, marking the tenth consecutive month of being below the previous year's level. By industry, the growth rate decreased in wholesale and retail trade (-17.9%), living-related services and entertainment (-17.0%), accommodations and eating and drinking services (-14.7%), information and communications (-9.5%), education and learning support (-6.5%), and others.
*1) Our institute defines seven major industries with a large scale of job openings and a high proportion of part-time and temporary workers among employees. Specifically, these are construction, manufacturing, transport and postal services, wholesale and retail trade, accommodations and eating and drinking services, living-related services, and services (not elsewhere classified).
## Sources
* Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare "General Employment Placement (February 2026)"
* Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications "Labor Force Survey (Basic Tabulation) Results for February 2026 (Reiwa 8)"
## About Tsugu Work Style Institute
Established in 2015, Tsugu Work Style Institute is a research institution for diverse work styles, formed by Tsugu Group Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President & Executive Officer: Mitsuhiro Yoneda). In collaboration with experts active in corporate human resources and labor law fields, the institute explains the key points and perspectives of enacted labor laws, records and analyzes the process and background leading to revisions, and proposes "ideal forms" of labor. As a research institution for all labor laws surrounding "work," it pioneers "the future of employment."
See details
Tsugu Group Holdings Co., Ltd. (TSE Standard, Securities Code: 6551)
Location: Hulic Ginza 7-chome Building 7F/8F, 7-3-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Mitsuhiro Yoneda, Representative Director and President & Executive Officer
Business activities: Formulation and management of business strategies for the group engaged in recruitment solutions (recruitment consulting, outsourcing, etc.), temporary staffing business, and paid employment placement business, as well as incidental operations.
URL: https://tghd.co.jp/
Tsugu Group, a solution company aiming to resolve Japan's social issue of the "2030 labor supply-demand gap," provides a wide range of solutions centered on consulting, RPO (recruitment process outsourcing), and databases, primarily to major companies with over 1,000 employees.