Japan’s unemployment rate rises in January
Japan’s unemployment rate increased to 2.7% in January, up from 2.6% in December, marking the first rise in five months, according to government data released Tuesday. The uptick appears to reflect a growing number of workers voluntarily leaving their positions in search of better pay and working conditions, Qazinform News Agency cites Kyodo.
The total number of employed people slipped 0.4% to a seasonally adjusted 68.17 million, the first decline in five months. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed rose 3.2% to 1.91 million, extending gains for a second consecutive month, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reported.
Among those without work, 450,000 individuals were dismissed - unchanged from the previous month. However, 820,000 people left their jobs voluntarily, a 7.9% increase, typically to pursue improved employment opportunities. The number of people newly entering the job market declined 3.6% to 540,000.
"More workers may be quitting their jobs after receiving winter bonuses and looking for positions with higher salaries," a ministry official said.
Separate data showed that Japan’s job availability ratio fell slightly by 0.02 points to 1.18 in January. This means there were 118 job openings for every 100 job seekers, marking the first decline in three months.
Sector data revealed notable differences across industries. New job postings dropped sharply by 13.8% in accommodation and food services and fell 11.6% in wholesale and retail compared to the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
By contrast, job openings increased 4.3% in education, 0.8% in manufacturing, and 0.3% in scientific research and professional and technical services.
A labor ministry official said that "rising prices and labor costs are accelerating moves to cut workers and improve efficiency, including by utilizing artificial intelligence."
Earlier, it was reported Japan’s KDDI is to deploy next-gen AI robots in shops and museums.
