Abstract
It was in 1920 that the first modern population census was taken in Japan. Since then the regular population census has been conducted every five years. The number of enumeration items has increased to cope with a remarkable change of the social, economic condition. On the other hand, the vital registration system has a longer history but it was remodelled in 1898. After the end of World War II, population and labour force statistics have been remarkably strengthened quantitatively and qualitatively. For example, the Labour Force Survey and Employment Status Survey were begun to collect statistical information on labour force in detail. Also various data on labour force are collected by some government offices in relation to their work, for example, by Ministry of Labour, Ministry of International Trade and Industry and so on. But this paper covers only the above-mentioned basic statistics which are compiled by the Statistics Bureau, Management and Coordination Agency and Ministry of Health and Welfare.
