Japan’s Business Failures in November 2025
(Released by TEIKOKU DATABANK, LTD.)
Number of bankruptcies 796; bankruptcies of small companies conspicuous
Heading toward over 10,000 in a year for the first time in 12 years
| Bankruptcies |
796 |
| Year-to-Year basis |
▲4.6% |
| Last Year same month |
834 |
| Liabilities |
78,883 million yen |
| Year-to-Year basis |
▲48.2％ |
| Last Year same month |
152,244 million yen |
Highlight and Outstanding Feature
- ■There were 796 bankruptcies (834 bankruptcies in the same month of the previous year, down 4.6% year-on-year), falling below the figure for the same month of the previous year for the first time in six months. The cumulative total for the January–November 2025 period was 9,380, an increase of 327 or 3.6% from the same period of the previous year (9,053). At this pace, the number is expected to exceed 10,000 a year for the first time in 12 years.
- ■The total amount of liabilities came to 78,883 million yen (152,244 million yen in the same month of the previous year, down 48.2%), marking a significant decrease, and the third consecutive month of year-on-year decrease. The number of bankruptcies of companies with debts of less than 50 million yen increased, with small-scale bankruptcies conspicuous. Chuo Kensetsu Co., Ltd., a company engaged in civil engineering and dredging, had the largest liabilities, at 5,381 million yen.
- ■By industry, the number of bankruptcies decreased year-on-year in three of seven industries. The retail industry (to 175 from 174 a year earlier, up 0.6%) accounted for 22.0% of the total. It is the first time in about four years that the industry has topped this category. On the other hand, the service industry (to 172 from 221 bankruptcies in the same month of the previous year, down 22.2%) saw the figure fall below the same month of the previous year for the first time in three months. The rate of decline exceeded 20% for the first time in about four years since August 2021.
- ■By region, five of nine regions experienced year-on-year declines. Kinki (to 191 from 225, down 15.1% from the same month of the previous year) showed a year-on-year decline for the first time in three months. Chugoku (to 22 from 34, down 35.3%) recorded a significant year-on-year decline for three consecutive months.
- ■There were 43 cases of “bankruptcies after zero-zero (COVID-19-related) loans,” down from the same month of the previous year for the seventh consecutive month.
- ■There were 31 cases of bankruptcies due to “labor shortages,” bringing the cumulative total for the January–November 2025 period to 390.
- ■There were 36 cases of bankruptcies in which it was “difficult to find successors,” down from the previous year for three consecutive months.
- ■There were 74 cases of bankruptcies to “rising prices,” bringing the cumulative total for the January–November 2025 period to 879.
Bankruptcy Information TOP