In 2023, the total internal R&D personnel in professional, scientific, technical, administrative, and support service activities in Japan stood at 26.65 thousand FTEs. The forecast from 2024 to 2028 shows a gradual decline: from 26.47 thousand FTEs in 2024 to 25.71 thousand FTEs by 2028. This represents a diminishing trend with a year-on-year percentage reduction of approximately 0.72% from 2024 to 2025, and a continued decline at a similar rate annually. The five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) suggests a modest average annual decrease.
Future trends to watch include the impact of demographic shifts in Japan on the availability of skilled R&D workforce, the influence of technological automation on R&D labor demands, and governmental policy changes affecting R&D funding and incentives.
