March 2, 2018
Statistics Bureau,
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Revisions of the Labour Force Survey from January 2018
To grasp the varied state of the employment and unemployment more precisely, the Statistics
Bureau of Japan revised the Labour Force Survey by introducing new questionnaires andenhancing current statistical tables from January 2018.

1. Common revisions to Basic Tabulation and Detailed Tabulation○ Introducing new survey item “duration of employment contract”
Four items in “status in employment” were discontinued and a new survey item “duration ofemployment contract” was introduced.
By this revision, it became able to grasp more precisely the number of employees by theduration of employment contract and the current situation of “non-regular employee” in termsof the duration employment contract. In according with it, the presentation of items related tothe duration of employment contract in the statistical tables are revised as below.
Revision of the classification related to duration of employment contract
Until December 2017
Employee
Long-term employee
Ordinary employee
Indefinite duration contract
Limited duration contract *1
Executive of company or corporation
Temporary employee *2
Daily employee *3*1 Duration of employment contract ismore than 1 year
*2 1 month or more up to 1 year
*3 Less than 1 month

From January 2018
Employee
Executive of company or corporation
Employee excl. executive of company or corp.
Indefinite duration contract
Limited duration contract
Less than 1 month
1 month or more up to 3 months
More than 3 months up to 6 months
More than 6 months up to 1 year
More than 1 year up to 3 years
More than 3 years up to 5 years
Over 5 years
Not knowing the duration
Not sure if the duration is specified

Note: A part of breakdowns of “status in employment” are newly presented as “duration of employment contract.”

2. Revisions to Detailed Tabulation(1) Introducing figures and indicators for “Labour underutilization”
In addition to “unemployed person (ILO 2013) (B in diagram below),” the SBJ starts to release
the figures related to labour underutilization such as “person in time-related underemployment(A)” and “potential labour force (C).”1Indicators for “labour underutilization” would be released quarterly in Detailed Tabulation as
well as “unemployment rate” monthly released in Basic Tabulation.
These indicators promote a better and more multilateral understanding of the employment
situation.
A: Persons in time-related underemployment

C: Potential labour force(1) employed person

Among persons who were not "Employed person"(2) whose weekly hours of work was less than 35 hours

nor "Unemployed person",(3) wishing to work additional hours【Unavailable jobseekers】(4) able to work additional hours(1) did any job seeking activity within one month(2) not ready to work currently but would be within two weeks

B: Unemployed person (ILO 2013)【Available potential jobseekers】(1) not in employment(1) did not any job seeking activity within one month(2) did any job seeking activity within one month(2) wishing to work(3) ready to work if work is available(3) ready to work if work is available<Indicators for “labour underutilization”>
Labour Underutilization
Indicator 1 (LU1)＝Labour Underutilization
Indicator 2 (LU2)＝Labour Underutilization
Indicator 3 (LU3)＝

Labour Underutilization
Indicator 4 (LU4)＝

Supplementary Labour
Underutilization Indicator 1＝

Supplementary Labour
Underutilization Indicator 2＝

Unemployed person (ILO 2013)
Labour force
Unemployed person (ILO 2013)＋
Persons in time-related underemployment

×100

×100

×100

×100

×100

×100

Labour force
Unemployed person (ILO 2013)＋Potential labour force
Labour force+Potential labour force
Unemployed person (ILO 2013)＋Potential labour force＋Persons in time-related underemployment
Labour force+Potential labour force
Unemployed person (ILO 2013) who quitted a job
involuntarily
Labour force
Unemployed person (ILO 2013)＋Unavailable jobseekers
Labour force＋Unavailable jobseekers

Note: “Unemployed person (ILO 2013) who quitted a job involuntarily” is the person who quitted a job due to“mandatory retirement, or termination of employment contract” or “circumstances of employer orbusiness.”(2) Revisions to the classification of “Labour force status”
Items related to “labour underutilization” are presented in the category “labour force status” inDetailed Tabulation *1.
According to the revision, “Labour force” is defined as the aggregate of “Employed person”
and “Unemployed person (ILO 2013)”*2. Hence, new series of “Labour force” and “Not inLabour force” cannot be compared with series previously released.
There is no change in the definition of “Employed person” by this revision.
*1 There is no change in the definition of items of “labour force status” in Basic Tabulation.
*2 “Unemployed person” which the SBJ has released heretofore is defined as the person 1) with no job, 2) did
any job seeking activity within one week and 3) ready to work if work is available. A definition of newly
introduced “Unemployed person (ILO 2013)” differs from the traditional one in the reference period for job
seeking activity which is extended from one week to one month.

2

<Until Oct.-Dec. 2017><From Jan.-Mar. 2018>“Labour force status” including items related to “labour underutilization”
Employed
personEmployed
personUnemployedpersonPopulation
aged 15 years
old and over

Persons in time-related
underemployment

Labourforce

Labourforce

Unemployed person(ILO 2013)

Population
aged 15years oldand over

Unemployed person
Not in labourforce

Not in labour
force

Unavailable jobseekers
Potential labour
force
Available potentialjobseekers(3) Revisions to the classification for “method used to seek a job”
New answer options for question “Method used to seek a job” for “Unemployed person (ILO2013)”*3 are introduced, which are “making inquiries about results of job seeking” and “waitingfor results of job seeking.”
This revision make it able to compare unemployment rate internationally under the samedefinition*4.
*3 “Unemployed person” up to Dec. 2017
*4 In United States etc., “unemployed person” does not include the person only waiting results of job seeking
activities.

Revision of the classification of “Method used to seek a job”
Until Oct.-Dec. 2017
Total （Unemployed person）

From Jan.-Mar. 2018
Total （Unemployed person）

Applying to Public Employment Security Office

Applying to Public Employment Security Office

Applying to Private Employment Security Office

Applying to Private Employment Security Office

Regitered at a temporary dispatch labour agency

Regitered at a temporary dispatch labour agency

Advertisements or magazines on job vacancies

Advertisements or magazines on job vacancies

Through school or acquaintaces

Through school or acquaintaces

Applying to prospective employer directlyApplying to prospective employer directly

Preparation to start a businessPreparation to start a business

Other

Making inquiries about results of job seeking
Waiting for results of job seeking

Other3