Recent Statistical Survey Reports, September 2008

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Statistical Survey Reports

Consciousness Survey on Work-Life Balance

Tuesday, September 2, released by the Cabinet Office

Only 2 % of those surveyed answered they hope to give priority to their jobs, but in reality 48.6% gave priority to their jobs.

Asked about companies’ necessary attitudes toward realization of a society in which work-life balance is established, 87% answered that it is important “to remove unproductive work operations”, while 82.9% “ to reform consciousness of managers” and 82.4% “ to tackle work-life balance under a leadership of chief executives and board members.

Survey on Employment Trends 2007

Friday, September 5, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Regarding the number of those who experienced turnover in 2007, the number of the newly employed was 6.99 million (6.99 million in the last year), while the job leavers accounted for 6.80 million (7.04 million in the last year). The total number of those who experienced turnover was 13.79 million (14.04 million in the last year). Among them, the number of the newly employed who changed jobs during the last year was 4.54 million (4.54 million in the last year). The hiring rate was 15.9% (16.0% in the last year), the separation rate was 15.4% (16.2% in the last year) and the total labour mobility rate was 31.3% (32.3% in the last year). Compared with the last year, each labour mobility rate decreased and the hiring rate exceeded the separation rate for the first time in 14 years.

As for career change and hiring rate by age, it declined by 0.5 points to 3.8 points from the previous year in their age brackets from “under 19” to “30 – 34” which has been in a relatively high level.

National Livelihood Survey 2007

Tuesday, September 9, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The amount of average income per household in 2006 was 5.668 million yen, an increase of 0.5% from the previous year.

Regarding the composition rate of the number of households by the life consciousness, those who replied “difficult” and “not so difficult but not so easy” accounted for 57.2%, 37.7% respectively. The ratio of households who answered “difficult” has been increasing recently.

Indexes of Business Conditions (Preliminary Report for July)

Wednesday, September 10, released by the Cabinet Office

The Coincident Index of CI (Preliminary figures, 2005=100) in July was 103.3, an increase of 0.9 point, 3 months backward moving average increased for the first time in 9 months, an increase of 0.43 points, while 7 months backward moving average decreased for 5 consecutive months, a decrease of 0.15 points. So the Assessment of Coincident Index was “the assessment of the previous month retained”. (The assessment of Coincident index in June was “Worsening”). The Leading Index was 91.6, an increase of 0.6 points, and the Lagging Index was 100.9, an increase of 0.2 points.

Survey on Preliminary Offer of Hiring New Graduates in FY 2008 (Senior and Junior High)

Friday, September 12, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The ratio of job openings to applicants for final-grade senior high school students was 1.31, 0.02 points higher than the previous year.

The ratio of job openings to applicants for final-grade junior high school students was 0.38, 0.02 points higher than the previous year.

National Accounts (The 2nd Preliminary Estimates of Expenditure in Apr.-Jun.)

Friday, September 12, released by the Cabinet Office

Real GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate (Seasonally Adjusted) was -0.7% (-3.0% on annual basis).

Of real GDP growth rate, -0.7% was contributed by domestic demand and -0.1% by external demand.

Quarterly Estimates of GDP (The 2nd Preliminary Estimates)
Growth rate of GDP from the previous quartersContribution
of Domestic Demand and External Demand to changes in GDP

Survey on Labor Economic Trend (August)

Monday, September 22, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Asked about the sense of employment surplus or shortage of regular employees and part-time workers, the surveyed companies answered that they are still in shortage, even though the excess range of shortage was getting smaller.

Consumer Price Index (August)

Friday, September 26, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The Consumer Price Index was 102.7, an increase of 2.1% from the previous year. Omitting Fresh food, the comprehensive index was 102.6, an increase of 2.4% from the previous year, both indexes increased for 11 consecutive months.

Andin the ward –areas of Tokyo in September, the former accounted for 101.9, an increase of 1.4% from the previous year. Omitting Fresh food, the latter accounted for 101.8, an increase of 1.7% from the previous year.

Family Income and Expenditure Survey (August)

Tuesday, September 30, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The average monthly income for a worker’s household with 2 or more family members increased by 1.9% from the same month the year before. It increased for the first time 5 months.

Labour Force Survey (August)

Tuesday, September 30, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Report on Employment Service (August)

Tuesday, September 30, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) was 4.2%, increased by 0.2 points from the previous month. That for men was 4.3%, increased by 0.3 points from the previous month, and that for women was 4.0%, unchanged from the previous month.

The number of unemployed persons increased by 230 thousand from a year earlier to 2.72 million.

The number of employees (seasonally adjusted) increased by 200 thousand from the previous month to 55.31 million.

The ratio of active job openings to applicants (seasonally adjusted) was 0.86, decreased by 0.03 points from the previous month.

Trend in Unemployment Rate and Ratio of Active Job
Openings to Applicants

Indices of Industrial Production (August)

Tuesday, September 30, released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

The index of industrial production (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 3.5 % from the previous month.
According to the Survey of Production Forecast in Manufacturing, Production is expected to increase in September and to decrease in October. The Synthetic judgment is “Industrial Production has weakened.”

Monthly Labour Survey (Preliminary Report in August)

Wednesday, October 1, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Total amount of cash earnings (for business establishments with 5 or more employees) decreased by 0.3% from a year earlier, while scheduled cash earnings increased by 0.3%. It increased for 10 consecutive months.

Non-scheduled hours worked in manufacturing (for business establishments with 5 or more employees, seasonally adjusted) decreased by 2.0% from the previous month.

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

Wednesday, October 1, released by the Bank of Japan(PDF:173KB)

The Diffusion Index (DI) (“Favorable”- “Unfavorable”) for business conditions in large enterprises of the manufacturing was -3 (5 in the previous quarter and forecast -4 in the coming quarter), and the non-manufacturing DI was 1 (10 in the previous quarter and forecast -1 in the coming quarter), each Index also decreased.

The Diffusion Index (DI) (“Excessive”- “Insufficient”) for employment conditions in large enterprises of all industries was -6 (-9 in the previous quarter and forecast -7 in the coming quarter).

Business Sentiment (For Large Enterprises)

Othr Reports

Monthly Economic Report (September)

Friday, September 19, released by the Cabinet Office

The economy is weakening recently.

• Exports are in a weak tone. Industrial production is decreasing moderately.
• Corporate profits are falling and business investment is in a weak tone.
• The employment is in a weak tone recently while some severe aspects remain.
• Private consumption is almost flat.

Monthly Economic Labour Report (September)

Monday, September 29, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

In looking at the aspects of labor and economy, the employment is in a weak tone recently while some severe aspects remain.