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Japan's March jobless rate rises to one-year high

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First of all companies in Japan do not want full time employees anymore, they prefer part-timers yet they put in massive hours and most for free: example a shift employee is said your hours are from 1pm to 9:00pm (9pm being the close of business) yet the employee is kept 15 to 30 minutes everyday before departing the building to go home., some are kept 45 minutes or more with no pay. If not part time employees they hire contract workers. These guys are even worst off, they are given their day off during each Japan observed holiday so that even their contract company does not pay them for that day, while their counterparts are paid. The same rules apply to the contract workers as part timers regarding non pay hours for keeping them late past their schedules. Yet the companies cry cry and cry no employees. If companies would be honorable and fair to the employees, then they would be crying a different tune to, we have too many applicants trying to work for us. I would rather be the latter. A happy employee leads to profits in more way than one. Now in regards to the article discussing the BOJ, drop the surcharge tax back to 8% follow your own course for the country and stop listening to the IMF or we will end up broke like most countries.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

All those temp and part time jobs that were built on shaky foundations have all disappeared in a blink!

The number will grow too...

10 ( +12 / -2 )

rises in the politically sensitive figure

The figure is not politically sensitive, how they derive the figure is

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Permanent unemployment in Japan is a myth. Most Japanese workers are in part-time jobs not full time jobs. The Japanese government fudged the figures of part-timers to make them as equal as full time ones. This is why unemployment rate is so low. However, the productivity is highly questionable as many full time positions are redundant and useless. Can be easily replaced by technology and machines, yet Japan keeps those jobs.

There are two things that most Western financiers/investors do not trust the Japanese government: Employment figures and Economic health figures.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

While Japan's comparatively low jobless rate is the envy of many nations

Feel-good numbers. Is Japan obsessed with Feel-good numbers?

It is starting to look like the numbers are measured and regulated. 2% even when the economy is booming is unrealistic not to talk of 4% with this pandemic, it really defies common reasoning, all part time and temp staff workers who make 40% of the work force if staying home will be without pay as they are paid by the hour. People earning less than 80,000yen and being counted as employed is nothing but to lower the unemployment rate.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

My former and clever Japanese boss (600 employees) a few years ago : if I could, I would hire only contract workers...

It summarizes all the medieval work system that's about to fall.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Yes and they are all still waiting on the promised but much talked about funds. Today's balance: 0

4 ( +5 / -1 )

It’s only low as 95% of companies are SMEs. Nothing to write home about really considering the working conditions are in reality pretty bad in comparison to countries with higher rates. Bad bosses taking advantage of group think culture...

3 ( +5 / -2 )

@zichi: Not bad? You are clearly out of touch with the modern economy.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

What a bunch of hogwash AGAIN! Due to the virus out break there are many people who have jobs, are not working, thus still employed, but not getting any income because they are not working.

Unemployment numbers here AGAIN are calculated so that only those who are actively looking for work or are receiving the limited unemployment benefits are counted as being unemployed.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Schroedinger's unemployed:Were you on a "zero hour" contract with no guaranteed shifts dependent upon "client demand"? National holidays, lunches, prep time,sick days unpaid time off? Deliberately counted as under 40 hours a week by scheduling and accounting gimmickry? Then denied benefits including contributions to unemployment insurance?

Surprise you have no job, are not counted as unemployed and and can collect no benefits, go out and try to navigate this job market!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Lots of Managers here that do not deserve their pay packs. You know who you are!

Low pay, underpaid, contract workers non-paid hours.....it’s about time they had name and shame web sites that jobseekers can refer to......

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I hope some jobs never come back as they are useless to the economy.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Lots of people leaching the system and do not deserve to take home one Yen from it.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

@dagon

The new style of employment in Japan leaves many with big problems at this time....

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Unfortunatly, this madness it appears will continue until either the government runs out of printing ink ,the big conglomerates stop writing abe and his cronies blank cheques or the elderly who vote the most and live in the countryside stop receiving pension cheques.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I feel very sorry for all the jobless, yet there are 2 Japanese people in my office that earned more than 15,000,000 a year but does nothing except gossips and drinking wines. Destorying the good work of the founders. I hope god will punish them.They thought nobody knows.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

I hope that every month unemployment rises that the government takes accountability by handing out ¥100,000 to all residents each month until it steadies. Especially, as their inability to create new legislation to reduce cases by closing businesses such as pachinko parlors was plain to see.

It’s wishing thinking though I’m afraid.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Waiting for unemployment benefit in Japan can take up to 3 months depending on how you left your job. UK, 5 - weeks regardless of reason for leaving. Amount received around 60% and duration of receipt based on age and length of service. Once a month you have prove and show that you are looking for work to continue receiving it. You may claim for city tax reduction but must continue paying for medical Insurance and 30% medical fee contributions and pension contributions. In the UK you will receive free medical , rent paid for, and free state pension contributions. If you are over 45 in Japan, your chance of finding a good job are slim, and for every 5 years you pass that age your chances to get a decent job get slimmer. Ganbare!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

2.5% unemployment is very, very healthy. It is actually what many economists class as close to "full employment". Considering this pandemic, this is a great number.

@ Zichi -

4% not good.

Even 4% is an outstanding figure. The US, UK, EU, Australia etc will all now be in the double digit unemployed- some hitting 20% even.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

"Unemployment numbers here AGAIN are calculated so that only those who are actively looking for work or are receiving the limited unemployment benefits are counted as being unemployed."

The same as in the UK; what's your point?

In fact the UK is even worse; if you work 2 hours as bank you're not unemployed.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Consider it as a long vacation. Money comes and go.

Think of slum areas of poor countries, then walk around the whole of Japan.

Restart your life from the scratch. Journey begins again.

-5 ( +8 / -13 )

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