Recent Statistical Survey Reports, December 2008

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Statistical Survey Reports

Survey on Labor Economic Trend (November)

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

By the judgment of employment surplus or shortage D.I. as of November 1, 2008, regarding the trend of the sense of employment surplus or shortage, in the total of industries surveyed, regular employees and part-time workers accounted for 13 and 14 points respectively. As for the range of shortage and surplus, it decreased from the previous period (18 points respectively).

Indexes of Business Conditions (Preliminary Report for October)

Tuesday, December 9, released by the Cabinet Office

The Coincident Index of CI (Preliminary figures, 2005=100) in October was 97.6, a decrease of 2.5 points, 3 months backward moving average decreased for 3 consecutive months, a decrease of 1.83 points, and 7 months backward moving average decreased for 8 consecutive months, a decrease of 0.69 points. So the Assessment of Coincident Index was “Worsening”. The Leading Index was 85.0, a decrease of 4.2 points, and the Lagging Index was 98.2, an increase of 0.3 points.

National Accounts (The 2nd Preliminary Estimates of Expenditure in Jul.-Sep.)

Tuesday, December 9, released by the Cabinet Officeopen new window

Real GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate (Seasonally Adjusted) was -0.5% (-1.8% on annual basis).

Of real GDP growth rate, -0.3% was contributed by domestic demand and -0.2% by external demand.

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

See the table above for chart data.

Special survey of the Monthly Labor Survey (2008 Summary)

Wednesday, December 10, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The average contractual cash earnings (for establishments with less than 5 employees) per person in July 2008 increased by 1.1% from a year earlier to 192,630 yen.

The special cash earnings from August 1 in 2007 to July 31 in 2008 decreased by 2.9% from a year earlier to 208,367 yen.

The average number of attendances per person in July 2008 was 21.2 days, an increase of 0.1 days from a year earlier.

The average number of actual working hours per person in July 2008 was 7.2 hours, unchanged from a year earlier.

The ratio of short-time workers (regular worker whose actual working hours per day was less than 6 hours) was 27.0%, increased by 0.1 points from a year earlier.

The Result of Summer Bonus negotiations among Major Private Enterprises (2008)

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

The amount of agreed summer bonus of the major private enterprises (349 companies which we could grasp the amount of bonus with a capital of more than a billion yen, 1000 or more employees and labour union in principle) decreased by 0.29% from the previous year to 842,270 yen.

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

Monday, December 15 released by the Bank of Japan(PDF:174KB)open new window

The Diffusion Index (DI) (“Favorable”- “Unfavorable”) for business conditions in large enterprises of the manufacturing was -24 (-3 in the previous quarter and forecast -36 in the coming quarter), and the non-manufacturing DI was -9 (1 in the previous quarter and forecast -14 in the coming quarter), each Index also decreased.

The Diffusion Index (DI) (“Excessive”- “Insufficient”) for employment conditions in large enterprises of all industries was 1 (-6 in the previous quarter and forecast 3 in the coming quarter).

Business Sentiment (For Large Enterprises)

See the table above for line chart data.

Survey on Situation of Preliminary Job Offers for New Graduate in Mar.2009 (University, etc.) (October 1)

Tuesday, December 16, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The ratio of final-year university students who got an official job offer to applicants was 69.9%, increased by 0.7 points from the same period a year earlier.

Thtat of final-year junior college students (female only) was 39.4%, increased by 0.9 points from the same period a year earlier.

Thtat of final-year technology college students (male only) was 94.8%, decreased by 1.6 points from the same period a year earlier.

Thtat of final-year vocational school students was 46.2%, decreased by 2.8 points from the same period a year earlier.

Basic Survey on Labor Unions (2008)

Tuesday, December 16, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The number of labor union members who belong to single unions as of June 30, 2008 was 10.065 million, decreased by 0.1%, 15 thousand from the previous year.

The estimated unionization rate was 18.1%, unchanged from the previous year.

The number of labor union members of part-time workers was 616 thousand, increased by 4.7%, 28 thousand from the previous year. The estimated unionization rate was 5.0%, increased by 0.2 points from the previous year.

Survey on Wage Increase (2008)

Wednesday, December 24, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The ratio of enterprises which planned to increase average wages per employees was 74.0%, decreased by 8.8 points from the previous year.

The average amount of revised wage was 4,417 yen (4,378 yen in the previous year) based on weighted average of regular workers, and average wage revision rate was 1.7% (1.7% in the previous year).

Survey on Employment Trends in the First Half of 2008 (Summary)

Thursday, December 25, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The hiring rate was 8.7% (9.7% the same period of the previous year), the separation rate was 8.2% (9.0% the same period of the previous year), both rates decreased, but the hiring rate still exceeded the separation rate. The exceeded range of the hiring rate decreased by 0.2 points from the previous year. Especially the hiring rate of the part-time workers decreased to 13.6% (15.5% the same period of the previous year), the separation rate decreased to 13.5% (15.5% the same period of the previous year).

The number of unfilled vacancies in the end of June 2008 decreased to 483 thousand from 599 thousand in the previous year.

Indices of Industrial Production (November)

Friday, December 26, released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

The index of industrial production (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 8.1% from the previous month.

According to the Survey of Production Forecast in Manufacturing, Production is expected to decrease in December and January. The Synthetic judgment is “Industrial Production drops steeply.”

Consumer Price Index (November)

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

The Consumer Price Index was 101.7, an increase of 1.0% from the previous year. Omitting Fresh food, the comprehensive index was 101.6, an increase of 1.0% from the previous year, both indexes increased for 14 consecutive months.

And in the ward –areas of Tokyo in December, the former accounted for 101.2, an increase of 0.7% from the previous year. Omitting Fresh food, the latter accounted for 101.2, an increase of 0.8% from the previous year.

Family Income and Expenditure Survey (November)

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

The average monthly income for a worker’s household with 2 or more family members decreased by 0.3% from the same month the year before.

Labour Force Survey (November)

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

Report on Employment Service (November)

Friday, December 26, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) was 3.9%, increased by 0.2 points from the previous month. That for men was 4.1%, increased by 0.2 points from the previous month, and that for women was 3.8%, increased by 0.3 points from the previous month.

The number of unemployed persons increased by 100 thousand from a year earlier to 2.56 million. It increased for the first time in 2 months.

The number of employees (seasonally adjusted) increased by 210 thousand from the previous month to 55.47 million.

The ratio of active job openings to applicants (seasonally adjusted) was 0.76, decreased by 0.04 points from the previous month.

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

See the table above for chart data.

Monthly Labour Survey (Preliminary Report in November)

Friday, December 26, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Total amount of cash earnings (for business establishments with 5 or more employees) decreased by 1.9% from a year earlier, contractual cash earnings decreased by 0.4% from a year ealier. Scheduled cash earnings increased by 0.1%, non-scheduled cash earnings decreased by 6.8% from a year earlier. Real wage (total) decreased by 3.1% from a year earlier. It decreased for 8 consecutive months.

Non-scheduled hours worked in manufacturing (for business establishments with 5 or more employees, seasonally adjusted) decreased by 9.1% from the previous month.

Other Reports

Monthly Economic Report (December)

Monday, December 22, released by the Cabinet Officeopen new window

The economy is worsening.

  • Exports are decreasing. Industrial production is decreasing substantially.
  • Corporate profits are falling substantially and business investment is decreasing.
  • The employment situation is getting worse rapidly.
  • While private consumption is almost flat, some weak movements are seen lately.

Monthly Economic Labour Report (December)

Tuesday, January 6, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

In looking at the aspects of labor and economy, the employment situation is getting worse rapidly.

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