Dec 02 (NHK) - The unemployment rate in Japan hit a 3-year high in October. Officials say the coronavirus has driven the figure to 3.1 percent, the highest since May 2017.
The internal affairs ministry says the seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate rose one tenth of a point from September.
It's the third straight month the figure has been in the 3 percent range.
The number of people out of work stood at just over 2 million. That number has risen for 9 straight months.
But job availability inched upwards too.
The ratio of openings to applicants rose a hundredth of a point to 1.04. That means there were 104 openings for every 100 people looking for work.
The labor ministry says that the employment situation remains serious because of the prolonged impact of the coronavirus.
Source: TBS NEWS
