Japan’s jobless rate reaches 25-year minimum

In January, Japan's unemployment rate reached a 25-year minimum, while job availability stood at a two-decade maximum, as government data disclosed on Friday, providing policymakers with hope that a strengthening economic revival will make companies lift wages.

According to separate data, in Tokyo core consumer inflation, a basic gauge of nationwide price trends, speeded up to 0.9% in February versus January’s outcome of 0.7%.

While inflation is still distant from the BOJ’s 2% objective, Friday's pack of reports underscores the major financial institution’s view that brightening economic prospects along with a tight job market will help businesses to spur prices.

In January, the seasonally updated unemployment rate went down to 2.4%, sliding from December’s outcome of 2.7% and also lower than a median estimate of 2.7%. That’s what data from the Internal Affairs ministry uncovered on Friday.

It turned to be the highest result since April 1993.

As some financial analysts pointed out, they’re observing a huge leap in jobs in markets. That’s quite in line with the country’s extending economy.

The jobless rate will most probably stabilize below 2.5%, thus underscoring the view that the Asian country is making its way to an exit from deflation.

The jobs-to-applicants ratio accounted for 1.59, staying intact from February and also matching the highest value since January 1974.

Apparently, the pick-up in Tokyo consumer inflation was powered by leaps in hotel as well as package tour prices. It actually reflects firm demand from Chinese visitors to Japan’s capital and also Japanese tours to the winter Olympic Games in South Korea, as the data uncovered.

In October-December, the Japanese economy managed to expand at an annualized rate of about 0.5, reporting its longest expansion since the 1980s jump. The given effect could be explained by sturdy capital spending.