New figures show the ratio of job offers to job seekers in Japan rose in July. It was the first increase in four months. Officials say there were fewer people applying for work.
The labor ministry says there were 124 job openings for every 100 applicants. That’s up slightly from 123 positions in June.
Ministry officials say that manufacturers were among a range of firms that weren’t hiring. The main reason was higher prices and the weak yen. They also say recent pay raises weren’t enough to lure job hunters, and that contributed to the decline in applications.
Separate data from the internal affairs ministry shows that Japan’s unemployment rate rose in July. It climbed to 2.7 percent, up 0.2 of a percentage point from June.
It’s the first time since February that the jobless rate has worsened.