The nation’s labor market remained tight in April as job availability rose to the highest level in over 24 years and the unemployment rate remained flat at 3.2 percent, government data showed Tuesday.
The ratio of job offers to applicants rose to 1.34 in April, the highest since November 1991, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said. This means that 134 positions were available for every 100 job-seekers.
“The employment situation remains on an improving trend,” a government official said.
The unemployment rate for men remained flat at 3.4 percent, while that for women was unchanged at 3 percent.
The number of unemployed people stood at 2.11 million, unchanged from the previous month, while the number of workers inched up 0.3 percent to 64.07 million.
The number of people leaving jobs voluntarily stood at a seasonally adjusted 860,000.
Sectors that added more jobs than a year ago included health and welfare, wholesale and retail, and finance and insurance. The manufacturing sector saw a drop.
Source: Kyodo Image: Bank Image
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