The overall unemployment rate was 2.2% in May – a new low in 25 years and 7 months

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

５月の完全失業率2.2％ 25年７か月ぶりの低水準

2018年6月30日 0時35分

５月の全国の完全失業率は2.2％で、前の月と比べて、0.3ポイント改善し、平成４年10月以来、25年７か月ぶりの低い水準となりました。

総務省によりますと、先月の就業者数は6698万人で、前の年の同じ月と比べて151万人増え、65か月連続で増加しました。

このうち、パートや派遣社員、アルバイトなどの非正規労働者は、前の年の同じ月と比べて76万人増加し、2079万人でした。

一方、完全失業者数は158万人で、前の年の同じ月と比べて52万人減り、96か月連続で減少しました。季節による変動要因を除いた全国の完全失業率は2.2％で、前の月と比べて、0.3ポイント改善しました。

これは、平成４年10月以来、25年７か月ぶりの低い水準となりました。

総務省は、「人手不足により有効求人倍率が高くなっていて特に男性が、製造業や情報通信業など幅広い分野で仕事に就いたことが主な要因だ。雇用情勢は着実に改善してきている」としています.

Translation

The overall unemployment rate of the whole country in May was 2.2%, being an improvement of 0.3 points compared with the previous month, and was the lowest level in 25 years 7 months since October 1992.

According to the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications, the number of employees last month was 66,980,000 people, compared with the same month in previous year, it was an increase of 1,510,000 people, being a continuous increase for 65 months.

Among them, non-regular laborers such as part-timers, temporary and side-job workers had an increase of 760,000 compared with the same month the previous year, and the total was 20,790,000.

On the other hand, the number of totally-unemployed people was 1,580,000, being a decrease of 520,000 people compared with the same month the previous year, and was a continuous decrease for 96 months. The overall unemployment rate of the whole country excluding the seasonal fluctuation factor was 2.2%, being an improvement of 0.3 point compared with the previous month.

This was a new low in 25 years and 7 months since October 1992.

The Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications supposed that "The ratio of job offers to job seekers becomes high due to a shortage of labor, in particular for men. The main factor is that jobs are available as the manufacturing industry and an information and communication industry are wide fields; the employment situation is improving steadily."

              So, Japan’s economic outlook is good.