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Japan's May jobless rate highest in 5 months

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@Jefflee

You just don't see it. It's there though, just beneath the surface. A LOT of people are really struggling. People here just don't go out and protest in the streets, or cause a fuss in public about it.

I suppose you could say that at least people here might be able to find work as part-timers at 800-1000 yen an hour (even less outside of Tokyo) but with zero job security or benefits. And guess who is the first to be let go as soon as there is a crisis like Covid-19? And guess who then isn't counted as being unemployed or able to get unemployment support?

In a sense most Japanese are better off than many in called developing countries who live in "absolute" poverty, but "relative poverty" is rife here. And there is no way it should be.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The real number should 14-20% without data manipulation.

In the past, I've lived in places with those kinds of jobless rates. Japan today is not like them in any way.

If unemployment was really that low then there would be a tight labor market leading to increasing wages..,

That's because union presence and power have weakened drastically over the years. Same thing happening in other developed countries. Ever since Reagan.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

they are vaccinating very quickly

Soon things will open up again and people will be back to work. Enjoy the time off while you can.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

If unemployment was really that low then there would be a tight labor market leading to increasing wages, inflationary pressure, a strong housing market, high retail spending and a high tax take. Of course, it's not. But the number looks great on paper.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Another good number that doesn't reflect the reality.

Surprised there are people here who believe these cosmeticized numbers.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Megumi Wada, a researcher at the Daiwa Institute of Research, expects the jobless rate, a lagging indicator of the state of the economy, to keep deteriorating until around the end of the year due to the economic fallout from the state of emergencies.

I think Ms. Wada at Daiwa and her analysis about the unemployment figures are just as uninsighful and obscuring of the truth as the other report from Daiwa that,yes, Japan was not going to reap economic gains from the Olympics.

There is an uncounted COVID underclass from stranded guest workers and students to laid off restaurant, hospitality, service and freelance workers.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

As far as I understand it, you're only counted as unemployed if you and paid into the unemployment insurance scheme through your employer (full time or contract, temp agency workers only) and register with Hello Work once you are terminated. Even then, once the payment runs out (you just get a few months of support) you are on your own and not counted anymore. Not sure about the self employed. But anyway you look at it, it's brutal. And then there is the intense social shame and stigma attached to being out of work here.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The real number should 14-20% without data manipulation.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

@Zoroto

People who are not full-time regular workers don't included, which is half of the workers. But I am sure you knew this.

I think you mean that part-time workers "are included" in the employment rates? Yes, part-time workers are included in the total employment numbers.

However, according to Trading Economics, the part-time employees is only about 11% of the total employment number in Japan. Not half of the workers. Show me information that you are getting the 50% numbers.

https://tradingeconomics.com/japan/part-time-employment

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

The rate of unemployment is far higher and jobs are temporary and not guaranteed

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Take a look at what Japanese people wear.

Their clothes are cheap and imported from China

Standards are well down

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

@Zoroto more than half man! The truth needed to be said.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

The real numbers are likely quite higher as the criteria for counting people excludes those who have exceeded their eligibility and others.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

3% is quite low. Japan has a very stable job market even through the pandemic when it reached only 3.1%.

In the US, the unemployment rate reached 15% during the peak of pandemic. However before that, Trump had the lowest unemployment rate at 3.5% in history. Also at the same time, had the lowest unemployment rate in history for blacks, hispanics, asians, and women.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Still more jobs than seekers. Japan needs a higher jobless rate to give people the chance to train to upgrade their skills.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

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