The number of Japan’s non-regular employees, which includes temporary workers, dispatch workers, contractors, part-time workers and others, totalled 21.33 million in June 2023, up 1.3% when compared to the same period a year ago, according to data from Statistics Japan.

Further data from Statistics Japan also found that the number of ‘dispatched workers from temporary labour agencies’ decreased by 3.2% over the year and stood at a total of 1.53 million while the number of temporary workers overall increased by 3.3% to 4.64 million.

Meanwhile, Japan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 2.5%, no change over the month and down 0.1% when compared to the same period a year ago.

On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, the unemployment rate stood at 2.6%, down 0.1% over the year.

The employment rate in June totalled 61.5%, up 0.2% compared to the same period a year ago.

By industry, the accommodations, eating and drinking services industry recorded the highest year-on-year gain (4.7%). On the other hand, agriculture and forestry recorded the biggest decline (-6.3%) in June.

Japan’s labour force participation rate stood at 63.1% in June, up 0.1% over the year.  At the same time, the country’s job availability ratio fell 0.01 points from May to 1.30 in June.