Japan Job Availability Ratio Rises to 1.18 in June

Tokyo, July 31 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s seasonally adjusted effective ratio of job openings to job seekers rose 0.01 point to 1.18 in June from the previous year, the first rise in four months, the labor ministry said Friday. Job offers increased mainly in the electronic components and device manufacturing sector thanks to growing demand for semiconductors amid the spread of artificial intelligence. The ratio indicates the number of jobs available for each job applicant at public employment offices nationwide. The number of effective job seekers dipped 0.1 pct, while that of effective job openings edged up 0.9 pct. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained flat at 2.5 pct in June, the internal affairs ministry said. The number of unemployed people increased by 10,000, while that of those with jobs declined by 360,000. The unadjusted number of people with jobs remained unchanged at 68.9 million, a record high since comparable data became available in 1953. “The employment situation is not bad,” an internal affairs ministry official said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]