## Figure 3: Transition of the unemployment rate and the ratios of job openings to job applicants

The unemployment rate has fallen below 4.0% in June 2013 for the first time in four years and eight months. The jobs-to-applicants ratio has exceeded 1 in November 2013 for the first time in six years and one month. The unemployment rate decreased to 3.6% and the jobs-to-applicants ratio increased to 1.05 in the period from January to March 2014. This shows the steady improvement of the employment situation.

Source: “Report on Employment Service,” Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW); “Labour Force Survey,” Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)

(Note) 1) The data is the quarterly average (seasonally adjusted). The shadowed part in the graph indicates a recession period. Figures between the period from July to September 2012 and October to December 2012 are provisional.

2) Since 1973, the ratio of active job openings to active job applicants and the ratio of new job openings to new job applicants also cover Okinawa.

3) Since July 1972, the unemployment rate also covers Okinawa.

4) The ratio of active job openings to active job applicants and the ratio of new job openings to new job applicants exclude new graduates and include part-time workers.

5) The quarterly figures of unemployment rate is the simple average calculated by the Office of Counselor for Labour Policy, MHLW, based on the seasonally adjusted monthly figures. However, the figures from March to August 2011 use the complementary estimated figures by the Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

## (Number of employees significantly increased in 2013)

The number of employees in 2013 increased significantly for the first time in six years, up about 500,000 from the previous year. Let's have a look at the increase in the number of employees by industry and occupation.

According to Figure 4 showing changes in the number of employees by industry, the number of employees dramatically increased in medical and welfare services with higher labour demands in conjunction with the aging population, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation, eating and drinking services with increased number of foreign tourists thanks to the weakening yen’s exchange rate. Non-regular workers constitute the majority of increased numbers in medical and welfare services, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation, eating and drinking services, while medical and welfare services and wholesale and retail trades are also characterized by the increased number of regular workers. By occupation, the number of workers who are engaged in carrying, cleaning, packaging, and related industries, care service and food/drink preparation service and clerical workers increased significantly. More specifically by age group and employment form, the numbers of male regular workers aged between 25 and 34 who are engaged in manufacturing process and sales, and sales workers aged between 35 and 44 have fallen in a considerable way. The number of female clerical workers aged between 35 and 54 increased in both regular and non-regular employment forms.

Figure 5 shows transitions in the number of employees by employment form. The number of non-regular workers is gradually increasing, while the number of regular workers is slightly decreasing due to the influence of population decline.

In order to eliminate the influence of population decline, we will look at the ratio of regular workers to population (sum of labour force and not in labour force) shown in Figure 6. The ratio of regular workers to population aged between 15 and 64 had slightly increased in the period from 2005 to 2007, and has remained unchanged after that. Looking at the transition by age group, the ratio of workers aged between 45 and 54 is increasing and the ratio in other age groups had remained unchanged without showing a sign of decrease.

The ratio of regular workers to population has remained unchanged if seen in the total of male and female numbers. How about looking at the ratio by gender? The ratio of male regular workers, especially those aged between 25 and 34, had decreased from 2003 to 2013. The ratio of female regular workers had