Japan's unemployment rate falls to 2.5% in April 2026

Tokyo (ANTARA) - Data released by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on Friday showed Japan’s unemployment rate fell to 2.5% in April 2026, down from 2.7% the previous month. The number of employed people rose by 0.9% to 68.76 million on a seasonally adjusted basis. Of the unemployed, 430,000 were laid off by companies, while 790,000 resigned voluntarily, typically seeking better opportunities. Both figures remained stable compared to March. Meanwhile, the number of new entrants to the labour market fell by 10.9% to 490,000. Separate data from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare showed that among 11 sectors, education and manufacturing were the only ones with increased job vacancies year-on-year, rising 1.5% and 1.2% respectively. Nine other sectors saw declines, with wholesale and retail trade experiencing the steepest drop of 11%. Job vacancies in accommodation and food services fell 9.1%, while the information and communications sector saw a 7.3% decline.