Key Facts
• On January 6, Tokyo Shoko Research reported 81 bankruptcies in Aomori Prefecture for 2025.
• This is the first time in 16 years since 2009 that bankruptcies exceeded 80 annually (companies with liabilities over 10 million yen).
• Total liabilities reached 10.765 billion yen, surpassing 10 billion yen for the third consecutive year.
• Among 81 bankruptcies, 30 were COVID-19 related, down from 37 the previous year.
• 27 bankruptcies were mainly due to rising prices and labor shortages (some overlap with COVID-19 cases).
• Large bankruptcies with liabilities over 1 billion yen numbered only one.
• Major bankruptcies included Super Fujiwara (approx. 880 million yen liabilities) and Chokei Packaging Materials (approx. 1.17 billion yen).
• Small-scale bankruptcies with liabilities under 50 million yen accounted for 41 cases, the majority.
• Industry breakdown: Services 23, Construction 15, Manufacturing/Wholesale/Retail each 12.
• Cause breakdown: 59 cases (70%) due to poor sales.
• Tokyo Shoko Research warns ongoing high inflation, energy costs, labor shortages, and excessive debt strain small businesses.
• The recent earthquake in the prefecture may increase bankruptcy risks going forward.
Summary
In 2025, Aomori Prefecture saw 81 corporate bankruptcies, the highest since 2009, driven by inflation, labor cost increases, and labor shortages. Despite a slight decrease in COVID-19 related bankruptcies, economic pressures led to a rise in small-scale failures, especially among businesses with limited ability to pass on costs. Total liabilities remained above 10 billion yen for the third year, with only one large-scale bankruptcy recorded. Service and construction sectors were most affected, with poor sales cited as the primary cause in 70% of cases. Tokyo Shoko Research highlights that these trends may persist, with additional risks from recent earthquake damage potentially increasing bankruptcies further. The data underscores the ongoing challenges faced by small and medium enterprises in a difficult economic environment.
