Japan Press Weekly

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2016 August 17 - 23 [LABOR]

Japan’s actual unemployment rate is 8.4%

Japan’s unemployment rate would be 8.4% in the January-March quarter of 2016 if the definition of the “unemployed” is expanded to include workers involuntarily working part-time jobs and those who stop looking for a job temporarily, the Cabinet Office has estimated.

Under the conventional categorization, the unemployment rate is 3.2% in the same quarter, with the definition of the “unemployed” limited to those who are jobless, conducting job-hunt activities, and ready to take a job.

In the latest estimate, the Cabinet Office used the definition of the unemployed which includes those who conducted a job search within a year but stopped because of lack of adequate job offers or the need to take care of their small children or elderly parents. In addition, workers who want to work full time but have no choice but to take a part-time job were also counted as not fully employed.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases several versions of unemployment rates. The Cabinet Office’s estimate this time was basically based on the U.S. agency’s broadest definition of unemployment.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo repeatedly stresses that his economic policies have improved the employment situation. However, his assertion is misleading as only low-paid and non-regular jobs have increased.


Past related articles:
> Part-time jobs for male workers increase while full-time jobs decline [June 2, 2016]
> Gov’t data provides evidence of failure of ‘Abenomics’ [February 17 & 18, 2016]