TOKYO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The unemployment rate in Japan increased in February from a month earlier, the government said in a report on Friday.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the jobless rate stood at 2.6 percent, up from 2.4 percent a month earlier.
Separately, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said the job availability ratio declined by 0.01 points to 1.26.
The ratio equates to there being 129 available jobs for every 100 people seeking work.
Analysts here pointed out that the number of job seekers has outgrown that of job openings, although some argued that the decline in the job availability ratio signaled an easing trend of labor shortage. ■
