Japan jobless rate falls to 4.4pct in May
Japan’s jobless rate fell in May and the availability of jobs improved, suggesting a moderate economic recovery and post-quake rebuilding have encouraged firms to increase employment.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.4 percent from April’s 4.6 percent, data from the Internal Affairs ministry showed on Friday. That compared with economists’ median forecast of 4.6 percent.
The May jobs-to-applicants ratio rose to 0.81 from 0.79 in April. That was the highest level since September 2008, when it stood at 0.83, and compared with the median forecast of 0.80.
The number of new job offers rose 3.0 percent in May from the previous month and jumped 24.5 percent from a year ago, the fastest pace of growth since December 2000 when it climbed 27.1 percent.
Job seekers look at information on job offers posted at Hello Work, Japan's biggest government job placement agency, in Tokyo August 28, 2009. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/06/28/japan-economy-jobs-idINT9E8FC04020120628
Category: Japan
