Jouko Kajanoja (born 23 December 1942) is a Finnish economist and politician who served as minister of labour between 1981 and 1982.

[1][2] He joined the Communist Party being part of the fraction which was the third group after the moderates and doctrinaire faction.

[3] In March 1981 he was appointed minister of labour to the cabinet led by Mauno Koivisto.

[5][6] He was elected to the post as a result of the conflicts between the leaders of two major fractions within the party.

[3] Kajanoja was supported by the Soviet Communist Party during his tenure which ended in June 1984 when Arvo Aalto won the election.