Japan’s S&P Global Services PMI rose to 53.4 in March 2026, exceeding the flash estimate of 53.0 and market expectations of 52.8, though easing from February’s 21-month high of 53.8. The latest result signaled ongoing expansion in the service sector, with new business rising for a 21st straight month, albeit at a softer pace. Export demand improved, with new orders growing at one of the fastest rates in ten months, though still modest. Firms continued hiring to expand capacity, but job creation slowed to its weakest since October. Backlogs of work rose slightly, diverging from the long-term trend of declining outstanding business. Input cost inflation accelerated to its strongest in nearly a year, driven by higher raw material, energy, and fuel costs linked to Middle East tensions. Output price growth eased from February but remained elevated. Lastly, business sentiment weakened, falling to its lowest since the pandemic amid rising geopolitical uncertainty. source: S&P Global

Services PMI in Japan decreased to 53.40 points in March from 53.80 points in February of 2026. Services PMI in Japan averaged 50.63 points from 2013 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 55.90 points in May of 2023 and a record low of 21.50 points in April of 2020. This page provides the latest reported value for - Japan Services PMI - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Services PMI in Japan decreased to 53.40 points in March from 53.80 points in February of 2026. Services PMI in Japan is expected to be 51.30 points by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Japan Services PMI is projected to trend around 51.30 points in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Bankruptcies 851.00 887.00 Companies Feb 2026
Tankan Large Manufacturers Index 17.00 16.00 points Mar 2026
BSI Large Manufacturing 3.80 4.70 percent Mar 2026
Capacity Utilization MoM 105.10 102.10 points Jan 2026
Car Production 576093.00 590810.00 Units Jan 2026
Car Registrations 265438.00 211362.00 Units Mar 2026
Cement Production 3298.00 3998.00 Thousands of Tonnes Jan 2026
Changes in Inventories -242.40 819.20 JPY Billion Dec 2025
Coincident Index 117.90 114.50 points Jan 2026
Composite Leading Indicator 100.12 100.12 points Feb 2026
Corporate Profits 30027.03 27538.53 JPY Billion Dec 2025
Corruption Index 71.00 71.00 Points Dec 2025
Corruption Rank 18.00 20.00 Dec 2025
Eco Watchers Survey Current 48.90 47.60 points Feb 2026
Eco Watchers Survey Outlook 50.00 50.10 points Feb 2026
Industrial Production YoY 0.30 0.70 percent Feb 2026
Industrial Production MoM -2.10 4.30 percent Feb 2026
Leading Economic Index 112.10 110.40 Points Jan 2026
Machine Tool Orders YoY 146784.00 145587.00 JPY Million Feb 2026
Machinery Orders MoM -5.50 16.10 percent Jan 2026
Manufacturing Production 0.30 0.70 percent Feb 2026
Mining Production -1.70 -6.10 percent Feb 2026
New Orders 1270.29 1204.44 JPY Billion Jan 2026
Capital Spending YoY 6.50 2.90 percent Dec 2025
Reuters Tankan Index 18.00 13.00 points Mar 2026
Tankan Small Manufacturers Index 7.00 6.00 points Mar 2026
Steel Production 6400.00 6800.00 Thousand Tonnes Feb 2026
Tankan Large All Industry Capex 3.30 12.60 percent Mar 2026
Tankan Large Manufacturing Outlook 14.00 15.00 points Mar 2026
Tankan Non-Manufacturing Outlook 29.00 28.00 points Mar 2026
Tertiary Industry Index MoM 106.30 104.50 points Jan 2026


Japan Services PMI
The S&P Global Japan Services PMI is a monthly indicator of economic activity in Japan’s service sector, based on survey responses from around 400 companies across industries such as transport, finance, communication, real estate, and business services (excluding retail). Respondents report changes relative to the previous month, and results are presented as diffusion indices, ranging from 0 to 100. An index above 50 signals growth, while below 50 indicates contraction. The main metric is the Services Business Activity Index, reflecting changes in business activity volume and serving as the headline figure. While sometimes called the "Services PMI," it is not directly comparable to the headline Manufacturing PMI, but aligns more closely with the Manufacturing Output Index.

News Stream
Japan Services PMI Revised Upward
Japan’s S&P Global Services PMI rose to 53.4 in March 2026, exceeding the flash estimate of 53.0 and market expectations of 52.8, though easing from February’s 21-month high of 53.8. The latest result signaled ongoing expansion in the service sector, with new business rising for a 21st straight month, albeit at a softer pace. Export demand improved, with new orders growing at one of the fastest rates in ten months, though still modest. Firms continued hiring to expand capacity, but job creation slowed to its weakest since October. Backlogs of work rose slightly, diverging from the long-term trend of declining outstanding business. Input cost inflation accelerated to its strongest in nearly a year, driven by higher raw material, energy, and fuel costs linked to Middle East tensions. Output price growth eased from February but remained elevated. Lastly, business sentiment weakened, falling to its lowest since the pandemic amid rising geopolitical uncertainty.
2026-04-03
Japan Services PMI Lowest in 3 Months
Japan’s S&P Global Services PMI fell to 52.8 in March 2026 from a final 53.8 in the previous month, according to preliminary data. The latest reading marked the weakest since December, partly reflecting concerns over the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. New orders expanded at the slowest pace since October, with foreign demand rising only marginally despite a slight improvement. Employment growth also eased during the month. On the price front, input cost inflation accelerated, while output charges increased at a softer pace. Meanwhile, business confidence weakened, weighed by heightened geopolitical risks and uncertainty.
2026-03-24
Japan Services PMI Rises to 21-Month High
Japan’s S&P Global Services PMI rose to 53.8 in February 2026, confirming preliminary estimates, and up slightly from January’s 53.7, marking the fastest pace since May 2024. Growth was supported by a solid rise in new orders, the most pronounced since April 2024, driven mainly by stronger domestic demand and new client wins. Backlogs of work accumulated at a solid pace, the fastest since June 2023, as firms contended with rising workloads. Employment growth slowed to a three-month low due to labor shortages and staff turnover, although it remained above the survey’s long-run average. Input costs rose sharply, climbing at a historically fast rate, while selling prices increased at the quickest pace since April 2014 as companies passed on higher costs to customers. Business confidence strengthened, with firms expressing optimism for continued growth over the next 12 months, supported by improving demand and investment in new capacity.
2026-03-04