November jobless rate falls to 2.5%

Jiji Press

17:46 JST, December 27, 2022

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Japan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in November fell 0.1 percentage point from the previous month to 2.5%, the first improvement in three months, the internal affairs ministry said Tuesday.

The ratio of the unemployed to labor force improved as new job seekers decreased amid a recovery in economic activities, pushing down the number of jobless people.

The number of jobless people fell by 50,000, or 2.8%, to 1.73 million. Employed people numbered 67.13 million, down by 230,000, or 0.3%.

Separately, the labor ministry said that the ratio of job openings to seekers in November stood at 1.35, unchanged from the previous month.

Job seekers and openings both decreased, as workers refrained from changing jobs on concerns about the course of the economy while companies reduced recruiting following sluggish job applications, according to the ministry.

The ministry maintained the view that the employment situation is improving gradually despite weakness in some sectors.

The numbers of job seekers and openings sagged 1.5% and 1.3%, respectively.

The job market improved in the accommodation and restaurant sectors following the launch of a nationwide travel discount program, while the education and learning support service sector was sluggish.