Japan’s Business Failures in 1st Half Year 2025
(Released by TEIKOKU DATABANK, LTD.)
Corporate bankruptcies in first half of the year rise for third consecutive year
Over 5,000 for the first time in 12 years
| Bankruptcies |
5,003 |
| Year-on-Year basis |
＋2.4％ |
| Jan to Jun 2024 |
4,887 |
| Liabilities |
677,687 million yen |
| Year-on-Year basis |
▲0.5％ |
| Jan to Jun 2023 |
681,015 million yen |
Highlight and Outstanding Feature
- ■The number of bankruptcies in the first half of 2025 was 5,003 (4,887 in the first half of the previous year, up 2.4%), 116 more than in the same period last year, marking the third consecutive year in which the number of bankruptcies was higher than in the same period of the previous year. In the first half of the year, the number of bankruptcies exceeded 5,000 for the first time in 12 years since 2013 (5,310).
*The compilation of bankruptcies covers legal settlements in domestic courts, and 76 group companies such as Marelli Holdings Co., Ltd. (Saitama) are not included in the compilation.
- ■The total amount of liabilities came to 677,687 million yen (681,015 million yen in the first half of the previous year, down 0.5%), marking the third consecutive year of year-on-year decrease for the first half. Small-scale bankruptcies were conspicuous, with entities with debts of less than 50 million yen accounting for 63.2% of the total, the highest proportion since 2000.
- ■By industry, the number of bankruptcies increased year-on-year in four of seven industries. The service industry (to 1,329 bankruptcies from 1,228 in the same period last year, an increase of 8.2%) saw the most bankruptcies, and posted the highest figure since 2000.
- ■By region, six of nine regions experienced year-on-year increases. The region with the most bankruptcies was Kanto (to 1,694 from 1,732 in the same period last year, down 2.2%). In Kinki, the number of bankruptcies (to 1,309 from 1,238, up 5.7%), in the first half of the year exceeded 1,300 for the first time in 13 years since 2012 (1,500).
- ■There were 316 cases of “bankruptcies after zero-zero (COVID-19-related) loans,” exceeding 300 for three consecutive years.
- ■The number of bankruptcies caused by a “labor shortage” was 202, exceeding 200 for the first time since data compilation began.
- ■The number of cases of bankruptcy in which it was “difficult to find successors,” was 267 and this remained at a high level, exceeding 250 for four consecutive years.
- ■The number of bankruptcies due to “high prices” was 449, exceeding 400 for two consecutive years.
Bankruptcy Information TOP