Japan's Feb. jobless rate falls to 2.6%, 1st drop in 7 months
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's unemployment rate in February fell to 2.6 percent from 2.7 percent the previous month, improving for the first time in seven months, partly reflecting people who had voluntarily left their jobs finding employment, government data showed Tuesday.
The number of people with jobs edged up 0.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted 68.27 million, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said.
Of those not employed, 430,000 were laid off, a 4.4 percent decrease from January. Meanwhile, 760,000 people voluntarily left their jobs, typically to seek better conditions, a 7.3 percent decrease.
Those newly seeking jobs decreased 1.9 percent to 530,000, according to the ministry. A ministry official said, "The employment situation is not deteriorating."
The job availability ratio edged up 0.01 point from January to 1.19, meaning there were 119 jobs available for every 100 job seekers, according to separate data.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, new job openings in the wholesale and retail sector plunged 17.9 percent in February from a year earlier, while job offers in the lifestyle and entertainment services sector decreased by 17.0 percent.
New job openings also fell 14.7 percent in accommodation and restaurant services, 9.5 percent in information and communications, and slid 6.5 percent in the education sector.
While there has been no significant change in the trend, concerns have been growing over rising prices triggered by the Middle East crisis, with developments needing to be closely watched, a labor ministry official said.
Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260331/p2g/00m/0bu/020000c
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