Japan’s Business Failures in April 2026
(Released by TEIKOKU DATABANK, LTD.)
Number of bankruptcies exceeds previous year for fifth consecutive month
The highest number of bankruptcies due to high prices since data collection began
| Bankruptcies |
899 |
| Year-to-Year basis |
+8.8% |
| Last Year same month |
826 |
| Liabilities |
112,137 million yen |
| Year-to-Year basis |
+11.5% |
| Last Year same month |
100,549 million yen |
Highlight and Outstanding Feature
- ■There were 899 bankruptcies (826 in the same month last year, up 8.8% year-on-year), exceeding the previous year for the fifth consecutive month. This was the highest figure for April in the past 10 years.
- ■Liabilities totaled 112,137 million yen (100,549 million yen in the same month last year, up 11.5%), marking the second consecutive month of year-on-year increase. EV Motors Japan Co., Ltd., which sold electric vehicles such as EV buses and delivered vehicles for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, topped the list of liabilities with 5,700 million yen.
- ■By industry, the number of bankruptcies increased year-on-year in five of seven industries. The service industry had the most cases (to 249 cases from 215 in the same month last year, up 15.8%), exceeding 200 cases for the fifth consecutive month recording the highest number for April since the year 2000. This was followed by the construction industry (to 185 bankruptcies from 156, up 18.6%), which saw a year-on-year increase for the third consecutive month. Looking at industries in more detail, in the service industry, the number of bankruptcies in “professional services” increased from 37 to 58, the highest level since 2000, including management consultants (up 16 cases from the previous year).
- ■By region, seven of nine regions experienced year-on-year increases. In terms of the rate of increase, Hokkaido recorded the highest increase (to 38 bankruptcies from 24 in the same month last year, up 58.3%), exceeding 35 cases for the first time in about 13 years since March 2013 (38 cases).
- ■There were 27 cases of “bankruptcies after zero-zero (COVID-19-related) loans,” down from the same month last year for the second consecutive month.
- ■The number of “bankruptcies caused by a labor shortage” was 33, exceeding 30 for 11 consecutive months.
- ■There were 61 cases of bankruptcies in which it was “difficult to find successors,” the second-highest since data collection began.
- ■There were 108 cases of bankruptcies due to “high prices,” the highest since data collection began.
Bankruptcy Information TOP