Recent Statistical Survey Reports, March 2006

PDF format:76KB

Statistical Survey Reports

3rd-round Follow-up Survey on Adults in the 21st Century (Continuous Survey on the livelihoods of the Japanese citizens)

Wednesday, March 8, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

54.0% of women who were unmarried in the 1st-round survey but got married in the past 2 years continued the same work as before their marriage. 12.4% of women changed their work.

The Result of Year-end Bonus negotiations among Major Private Enterprises (2005)

Friday, March 10, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The amount of agreed year-end bonus was 840,516 yen, increased for the 3rd consecutive month by 5.39% from the previous year.

Survey on Situation of Official Job Offer for New Graduate in Mar.2006 (Senior and Junior High School) (End of January)

Friday, March 10, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The ratio of active job openings to applicants for final-year senior high school students was 1.50, increased by 0.20 points from a year earlier. The number of final-year senior high school students with official job offer was 161 thousand, increased by 4.9% from a year earlier. The ratio of applicants who got job offer was 85.3%, increased by 3.7 points.

Survey on Situation of Official Job Offer for New Graduate in Mar.2006 (University, etc.) (February 1)

Friday, March 10, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare,
the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

The ratio of final-year university students with official job offer was 85.8%, increased by 3.2 points from a year earlier.

That of final-year junior college students (female only) was 69.0%, increased by 3.0 points from a year earlier.

That of final-year technology college students (male only) was 93.7%, decreased by 4.8 points from a year earlier.

That of final-year higher vocational school students was 76.2%, increased by 0.9 points from a year earlier.

National Accounts (The 2nd Preliminary Estimates of Expenditure in Oct.-Dec.)

Monday, March 13, released by the Cabinet Office

Real GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate (Seasonally Adjusted) increased by 1.3% (5.4% on annual basis) from for the previous quarters.

Of real GDP growth rate, 0.7% was contributed by domestic demand and 0.6% by external demand.

Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2005)

Thursday, March 23, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The average scheduled cash earnings for general employees was 302,000 yen, increased for the first time in 4 years by 0.1% from he previous year. That for men was 337,800 yen (increased by 1.2% from the previous year), and that for women was 222,500 yen (decreased by 1.4%).

Hourly wages of part-time employee for men was 1,069 yen, that for women was 942 yen.

Business Outlook Survey (January-March)

Monday, March 27, released by the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Finance

Difference of Employment BSI (“insufficient” - “excessive”) inclines toward “insufficient” in large-scale, medium-sized, and small-to-medium-sized corporations.

Indices of Industrial Production (Preliminary Report for February)

Thursday, March 30, released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

The index of industrial production (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 1.7 % from the previous month, showing a decrease for the first time in seven months.

This index is also expected to increase in February and March.

Consumer Price Index (February)

Friday, March 31, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The Consumer Price Index was 97.8, an increase of 0.4% from a year earlier. Excluding Fresh food, it was 97.6, an increase of 0.5% from a year earlier. And in the Ward- areas of Tokyo in March, it was 96.9, unchanged from a year earlier. Omitting Fresh food, it was 96.9, an increase of 0.2% from a year earlier.

Consumer price index of Ward-areas in Tokyo in 2005 was 96.9, decreased by 0.4% from a year earlier. Omitting Fresh food, it was 97.0, a decrease of 0.2% from a year earlier.

Family Income and Expenditure Survey (February)

Friday, March 31, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Living expenditure in workers' household decreased by 0.6% in real values from the same month the year before, decreased for 2 months in a row.

Labor Force Survey (February)

Friday, March 31, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Report on Employment Service (February)

Friday, March 31, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) was 4.1%, a decrease of 0.4 points from the previous month.

That for men decreased by 0.3 points to 4.5%,that for women dropped by 0.4 points to 3.6%.

The number of unemployed persons decreased by 310 thousands from a year earlier to 2.77 million.

The number of employees (seasonally adjusted) increased by 380 thousand people to 54.86 million people from the previous month.

The ratio of active job openings to applicants (seasonally adjusted) was 1.04, increased by 0.01 points the same level as the previous month.

Monthly Labor Survey (Preliminary Report for February / Year-end Bonus)

Friday, March 31, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Total amount of cash earnings (for business establishments with 5 or more employees) increased by 0.4% from a year earlier, and scheduled cash earnings increased by 0.2%.

Non-scheduled hours worked in manufacturing (for business establishments with 5 or more employees, seasonally adjusted) decreased by 0.2% from the previous month.

The amount of year-end bonus was 433,214 yen, increased by 1.0% from the previous year.

TANKAN (Short-Term Economic Survey of Enterprises) (March)

Monday, April 3, released by the Bank of Japan(PDF:165KB)

The Diffusion Index (DI) ( "Favorable" sentiment in large enterprises was 20 (21 in the previous quarter and forecast 22 in the coming quarter). For non-manufacturing DI was 18 (17 in the previous quarter and forecast 19 in the coming quarter).

The Diffusion Index (DI) ( "Excessive" - "Insufficient" ) for employment sentiment in large enterprises of all industries was -6(-2 in the previous quarter and forecast -6 in the coming quarter).

Other Reports

Monthly Economic Report (March)

Wednesday, March 15, released by the Cabinet Office

The economy is recovering.

Corporate profits are improving and business investment is increasing.

Private consumption is increasing moderately.

The employment situation is improving on a broader basis, though some severe aspects remain.

Exports and industrial production are increasing moderately.

Monthly Economic Labor Report (March)

Thursday, March 16, 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.

Actual Situation of Working Women (2005)

Wednesday, March 29, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

2004~2005 Foreign Affairs Report

Thursday, March 30, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare