日本就業率持續改善

A few weeks ago the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

３月求人倍率:１６カ月連続で改善　０．０２ポイント上昇

毎日新聞　2014年05月02日　10時47分

　厚生労働省が２日発表した３月の有効求人倍率（季節調整値）は、前月比０．０２ポイント上昇の１．０７倍と１６カ月連続で改善し、２００７年６月以来、６年９カ月ぶりの高水準になった。総務省が同日発表した３月の完全失業率（季節調整値）は、前月と同じ３．６％だった。

　景気の回復傾向を背景に、新年度に向けた企業の採用活動が活発だった。新たに職探しを始めたり、仕事を辞めて転職活動を始めたりする動きが出たことから、失業率は横ばいだったが雇用情勢は引き続き改善の動きが続いている。

　１３年度平均の完全失業率は、前年度比０．４ポイント低下の３．９％と４年連続で改善した。（共同）

(試譯文)

The ratio for “jobs offered to job seekers” in March (seasonally adjusted figure) as announced on the 2nd (May) by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare was 1.07 times, showing a 0.02 point rise compared with the previous month and was an improvement for 16 consecutive months; it was a peak in six years and nine months since June 2007. The unemployment rate in March (seasonally adjusted figure) which the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications announced on the same day was 3.6%, an equivalent to the previous month.

Against the background of a recovery tendency in business, towards the new fiscal year the recruitment activity for companies was active. Since job-hunting activities began anew, or activities to resign the work for a change in occupation had started, although the unemployment rate was leveling off, movement in employment situation towards an improvement was continuing.

The average unemployment rate in 2013 fiscal year had improved for four consecutive years to stand at 3.9% which was a drop of 0.4 point compared with the previous year.

The employment situation in Japan is looking good.