Recent Statistical Survey Reports, October 2006

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Statistical Survey Reports

Indexes of Business Conditions (Preliminary Report for August)

Friday, October 6, released by the Cabinet Office

The Leading Index was 20.0%, the Coincident Index was 77.8%, and the Lagging Index was 50.0%.

General Survey on Working Conditions (2006)

Monday, October 16, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

39.6% of enterprises adopt a 5-day workweek system (41.1% in the previous year).

36.7% of enterprises employ dispatched workers, an increase of 16.4 percent points from the 1998 survey (20.3%).

Opinion Survey on the General Public’s Views and Behavior (September, 2006)

Monday, October 16, released by Bank of Japan

Asked about concerns over employment and pay and benefits, 35.9% of employees surveyed replied they felt “worried very much”, followed by “worried slightly” (45.4%), and “worried not so much” (18.7%).

Consumer Price Index (September)

Friday, October 27, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The consumer price index was 100.8, increased by 0.6% from the previous year. And in the Ward- areas of Tokyo in October, it was 100.6, increased by 0.5% from the previous year.

Indices of Industrial Production (Preliminary Report for September)

Monday, October 30, released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

The index of industrial production (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 0.7 % from the previous month. This index is expected to decrease in October and to increase in November.

Family Income and Expenditure Survey (September)

Tuesday, October 31, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The average monthly income for workers' household decreased by 0.5% in real values from the same month the year before for the first time in 3 months.

Labour Force Survey (September)

Tuesday, October 31, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Report on Employment Service (September)

Tuesday, October 31, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) was 4.2%, increased by 0.1 points from the previous month.

That for men was 4.3%, unchanged from the previous month, that for women was 4.1%, increased by 0.2 points from the previous month.

The number of unemployed persons decreased by 50 thousand from a year earlier to 2.80 million.

The number of employees (seasonally adjusted) increased by 190 thousand people to 54.84 million people from the previous month.

The ratio of active job openings to applicants (seasonally adjusted) was 1.08, unchanged from the previous month.

Monthly Labour Survey (Preliminary Report in August, Summer Bonus)

Tuesday, October 31, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Total amount of cash earnings (for business establishments with 5 or more employees) was unchanged from a year earlier, and scheduled cash earnings was unchanged from a year earlier.

Non-scheduled hours worked in manufacturing (for business establishments with 5 or more employees, seasonally adjusted) decreased by 0.3% from the previous month.

The average of summer bonus was 416,054 yen, an increase of 1.3% over the previous year.

Other Reports

Monthly Economic Report (October)

Thursday, October 12, released by the Cabinet Office

The economy is recovering.

• Corporate profits are improving and business investment is increasing.
• The employment situation is improving on a broader basis, though some severe aspects remain.
• Private consumption is decelerating recently.
• Exports are leveling off and industrial production is increasing moderately.

Monthly Economic Labour Report (October)

Friday, October 13, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

In looking at the aspects of labor and economy, the employment situation shows an expansion of improvement though some severe aspects remain. For example, the unemployment rate is declining, though still remains at a high level, and wages are steadily increasing.