Japan's Jobless Rate Down To 2.7 Pct In October After Virus Emergency States Lifted

Japan's jobless rate in October declined to 2.7 percent from a month earlier, as the number of workers increased in the food service and accommodation sector after the COVID-19 states of emergency was lifted across the country in the reporting month, government data revealed Tuesday

TOKYO, Nov. 30 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Nov, 2021 ) :Japan's jobless rate in October declined to 2.7 percent from a month earlier, as the number of workers increased in the food service and accommodation sector after the COVID-19 states of emergency was lifted across the country in the reporting month, government data revealed Tuesday.

The seasonally adjusted jobless rate went down slightly from 2.8 percent in September, the first improvement since July, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

However, the job-to-applicant ratio fell to 1.15 from 1.16 in the previous month, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said. The 1.15 ratio means there were 115 job openings for every 100 job seekers.

Economic activities are moving back to normal after the regional states of emergency were lifted on Oct.

1. People were asked to refrain from unnecessary outings and eateries as well as bars were asked to close earlier during states of emergency, doing harm to the accommodation and food service sector.

"The number of workers in the accommodation and food service field hit hard by the pandemic was still lower than that of the previous year," a government official said, adding that the "Go To travel" and "Go To Eat" subsidy programs were in place last year, which were designed to support the tourism and restaurant industries.

"But the number of those who were furloughed in the field declined this month (from the previous month), reflecting a positive effect of the removal of the declaration," he said.