The number of Japan’s non-regular employees, which includes temporary workers, dispatch workers, contractors, part-time workers and others, totalled 21.16 million in October 2022, up 1.6% when compared to the same period a year ago, according to data from Statistics Japan.

The number of ‘dispatched workers from temporary labour agencies’ remained steady over the year and stood at a total of 1.45 million while the number of temporary workers overall increased by 4.2% to 4.51 million.

Meanwhile, Japan’s unemployment rate stood at 2.6%, down 0.1% over the year and down 0.1% compared to the previous month.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the unemployment rate stood at 2.6%, unchanged compared to the previous month and down 0.1% compared to the previous year.

Japans’ job availability ratio rose 0.01 points from September to 1.35 in October.