Number of employees in the legal services industry in Japan 2022, by segment

Over the course of the past decade, the number of legal professionals working in Japan grew to the 300-thousand mark, reaching this milestone for the first time in 2022. Among the various segments of the legal services industry, tax accountants comprised the largest share, numbering approximately 80.2 thousand persons. Tax accountants and certified public accountants were the two segments with the highest contributions to Japan's legal services industry market size, followed by law offices.

Diversification of attorney activities

While the majority of an attorney’s work in Japan centers around court cases, the scope of an attorney’s work is diversifying. The natural consequence is specialization, with numerous attorneys exclusively focusing on specific areas such as patents, and labor and social security. The services of attorneys are also increasingly solicited by companies in Japan. Currently, the leading company in terms of in-house attorney hires is Yahoo! Japan.

Gender representation in the legal services industry

The legal services industry in Japan is male-dominated. On average, less than one in five attorneys in Japan are women, with the Bar Association in the Kanto region scoring highest nationwide. This gender disparity also exists in other justice system-related professions, including prosecutors and court judges, albeit to a slightly lesser degree. Considering that there is currently a higher number of male entrants to the Bar Examination, the gender disparity in legal services is likely to persist, at least into the near future.