By Max Sato
(MaceNews) – Improvement in the Japanese labor market paused in November as job cuts continued in some sectors hit by supply chain constraints and cautious consumer behavior during the pandemic, data released Tuesday by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed.
The seasonally adjusted average unemployment rate in Japan rose to 2.8% in November after falling to 2.7% in October from 2.8% in September as more people pursued better opportunities or began looking for work. It was higher than the median economist forecast for 2.7%.
The latest figure was below the recent high of 3.1% hit in October 2020 but still well above 2.2% recorded in December 2019, just before the pandemic triggered a global slump.
The number of employed was unchanged on the month at 66.24 million in November after slipping 0.4% in October while the number of unemployed rose 5.5% to 1.92 million after falling 3.7% the previous month. The number of people who left for other openings rose 8.6% on month while the number of those who lost their jobs or retired was unchanged.
Compared to a year earlier, the number of employed fell a sharp 570,000 to 66.50 million in November, posting the third straight drop after falling by 350,000 in October. Job cuts continued at construction firms, hotels, restaurants and bars as well as in-person and entertainment service providers. Manufacturers also trimmed workers.
The number of unemployed fell 130,000 on year to 1.82 million, marking the fifth straight month of decline after a decrease of 320,000 in October. More people quit for personal reasons and fewer people lost their jobs.
Last week, the government revised up its assessment of employment conditions for the first time in 15 months as their improvement became clearer, particularly in job offers. In its monthly economic report. The official economic overview was upgraded for the first time in 17 months in light of a steady improvement in consumer spending after the government eased its Covid restrictions in October.