Recent Statistical Survey Reports, February 2019

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Statistical Survey Reports

Survey on Public Assistance Recipients (November)

February 6, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The number of welfare recipients in November was 2,096,955 and the number of households of welfare recipients was 1,639,402.

Indexes of Business Conditions December 2018 (Preliminary Release)

February 7, released by the Cabinet Office

The Coincident Index of Composite Index (CI, revised figures, 2015=100) in December was 102.3, a decrease of 0.6 point. And 3 months backward moving average increased by for 0.30point, and 7 months backward moving average decreased for 0.15point. So the Assessment of Coincident Index was “Weakening” (The same as the previous month).

The Leading Index was 97.9, a decrease of 1.2 point, and the Lagging Index was 103.4, a decrease of 0.6 point.

Monthly Labour Survey (Provisional Report in December and 2018)

February 8, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Total amount of cash earnings increased by 1.8% and contractual cash earnings increased by 0.8% (full-time employees 0.8%, part-time employees 0.3%) from a year earlier.

Special cash earnings increased by 2.7% from a year earlier. Scheduled cash earnings increased by 0.9% and non-scheduled cash earnings decreased by 1.0% from year earlier. Real wage (total cash earnings) increased by 1.4% from a year earlier and real wage (contractual cash earnings) increased by 0.4% from a year earlier.

Non-scheduled hours worked by manufacturing industry workers at business establishments with 5 or more employees decreased by 3.8% from the previous month (seasonally adjusted).

Total amount of cash earnings in 2018 increased by 1.4% and contractual cash earnings increased by 0.9% (regular employees 1.0%, part-time workers 1.2%) from a year earlier.

Special cash earnings increased by 3.7% from a year earlier. Scheduled cash earnings increased by 0.8% and non-scheduled cash earnings increased by 0.7%. Real wage (total cash earnings) increased by 0.2% and real wage (contractual cash earnings) decreased by 0.3% from the previous year.

The number of total hours worked in 2018 decreased by 0.8% from the previous year.

Family Income and Expenditure Survey (December and 2018 Yearly Average)

February 8, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The average monthly income for a worker’s households with 2 or more family members was up 2.3% in real terms from the previous year. The change over the year of wages & salaries was 2.4% in real terms from the previous year (household heads: 3.7% in real terms, spouse of household: -3.9% in real terms).

The average of consumption expenditures for a worker’s household with 2 or more family members was down 2.5% in real terms from the previous year.

The yearly average of monthly income per household for a worker’s household with 2 or more family members was down 0.6% in real terms from the previous year.

The yearly average of monthly consumption expenditures per household was down 1.5% in real terms from the previous year.

Revised forms of account books have been introduced to half of the sample households on January 2018, therefore results including "Change over the year" and "Contribution" in data tables might have gaps from the figures by the previous survey schedules.
To resolve this discontinuity, "discontinuity-adjusted figures" are calculated by "Inverse-Probability-Weighting" using "propensity score", for valid comparison with results of previous years.

National Accounts (The 1st Preliminary Estimates Oct.-Dec.2018)

February 14, released by the Cabinet Office

Real GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate (Seasonally Adjusted) at Oct.-Dec.2018 was 0.3% (1.4% on annual basis). Of real GDP growth rate, 0.6% was contributed by domestic demand and -0.3% by external demand.

Compensation of Employees (real) was 0.7% and compensation of Employees (nominal) was 0.7% (changes from the previous quarter (seasonally adjusted)).

Quartely Estimates of GDP: Oct. ~Dec. 2018 (The 1st Preliminary Estimates)
Growth rate of GDP from the previous Quarters(seasonally adjusted)
Contributions of Domestic Demand and External Demand to Changes in GDP

Labor Force Survey: Detailed Tabulation (Oct.-Dec. 2018 and 2018)

February 15, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Of the total 56.49 million employee (excl. executive of company or corporation) (average, in the Oct. - Dec. 2018), the number of the regular employees increased by 450 thousand from the previous year to 34.97 million and the number of non-regular employees was 21.52 million, increased by 910 thousand from the previous year.

The average number of regular employees in 2018 was 34.76 million increased by 530 thousand from the previous year. The number of non-regular employees was 21.20 million, an increase of 840 thousand.

Survey on Situation of Preliminary Job Offers for New Senior High School Graduates (End of December,2018)

February 20, released by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

The ratio of final-year senior high school students with preliminary job offers at the end of December, 2018, was 91.9%, an increase of 0.4 point from the previous year.

Consumer Price Index Japan (January)

February 22, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The consumer price index for Japan in January 2019 was 101.5(2015=100), up 0.2% over the year. All items, less fresh food, the comprehensive index was 101.2, up 0.8% from the previous year. All items, less fresh food and energy, the comprehensive index was 101.1, up 0.4% from the previous year.

Monthly Labour Survey (Final Report in December and 2018)

February 22, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Total amount of cash earnings increased by 1.5% and contractual cash earnings increased by 0.6% (full-time employees 0.8%, part-time employees 0.5%) from a year earlier.

Special cash earnings increased by 2.4% from a year earlier. Scheduled cash earnings increased by 0.7% and non-scheduled cash earnings decreased by 1.1% from year earlier. Real wage (total cash earnings) increased by 1.1% from a year earlier and real wage (contractual cash earnings) increased by 0.2% from a year earlier.

Non-scheduled hours worked by manufacturing industry workers at business establishments with 5 or more employees decreased by 2.7% from the previous month (seasonally adjusted).

Total amount of cash earnings in 2018 increased by 1.4% and contractual cash earnings increased by 0.9% (regular employees 1.0%, part-time workers 1.3%) from a year earlier.

Special cash earnings increased by 3.6% from a year earlier. Scheduled cash earnings increased by 0.8% and non-scheduled cash earnings increased by 0.7%. Real wage (total cash earnings) increased by 0.2% and real wage (contractual cash earnings) decreased by 0.3% from the previous year.

The number of total hours worked in 2018 decreased by 0.8% from the previous year.

Indexes of Business Conditions December 2018 (Revision of the Preliminary Release)

February 25, released by the Cabinet Office

The Coincident Index of Composite Index (CI, revised figures, 2015=100) in December was 101.8, a decrease of 1.1 point. And 3 months backward moving average increased for 0.13 point, and 7 months backward moving average decreased for 0.23 point. So the Assessment of Coincident Index was “Weakening” (The same as the previous month)

The Leading Index was 97.5, a decrease of 1.6 point, and the Lagging Index was 103.3, a decrease of 0.6 point.

Survey on Supply and Demand of Construction Labor

February 25, released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Indices of Industrial Production (January)

February 28, released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

The index of industrial production (seasonally adjusted, 2015=100) decreased by 3.7% from the previous month. According to the Survey of Production Forecast in Manufacturing, Production is expected to increase in February and decrease in March.

Labour Force Survey (January)

March 1, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) was 2.5%, increased by 0.1 point from the previous month. That for men was 2.5%, unchanged, and that for women was 2.5%, increased by 0.3 point from the previous month.

The number of unemployed persons (seasonally adjusted) was 1.72million, increased by 80 thousand from the previous month.

The number of employees was 59.53 million, increased by 730 thousand from the previous year.

Among them, the number of regular employee was 34.74 million, increased by 270 thousand from the previous year and the number of non-regular employee was 21.54million, increased by 350 thousand from the previous year.

Employment Referrals for General Workers (January)

March 1, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Active job openings-to-applicants ratio (seasonally adjusted) was 1.63, unchanged from the previous month.

The number of monthly active job openings (person(s)) (seasonally adjusted) was decreased by 1.0% from the previous month and the number of monthly active applications (person(s)) (seasonally adjusted) was decreased by 1.0% from the previous month.

New job openings-to-applicants ratio (seasonally adjusted) was 2.48, increased by 0.08 point from the previous month.

Active job openings-to-applicants ratio for regular staff (seasonally adjusted) was 1.14, unchanged from the previous month.

Consumer Price Index Ku-area of Tokyo (February) (preliminary)

March 1, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The consumer price index for Ku-area of Tokyo in February 2019(preliminary) was 101.4(2015=100), up 0.6% from the previous year. All items, less fresh food, the comprehensive index was 101.2, up 1.1% from the previous year. All items, less fresh food and energy, the comprehensive index was 101.3, up 0.7% from the previous year.

Trend in Unemployment Rate and Ratio of Active Job
Openings to Applicants (seasonally adjusted)

Other Reports

Monthly Economic Report (February)

February 21, released by the Cabinet Office

The Japanese economy is recovering at a moderate pace. (The same as the previous month)

• Private consumption is in picking up. (The same as the previous month)
• Business investment is increasing. (The same as the previous month)
• Exports are in a weak tone. (The same as the previous month)
• Industrial production is increasing moderately, while weakness can be seen in some areas. (In the previous month, “Industrial production is increasing moderately.”)
• Corporate profits improvement appears to be pausing, although they remain at a high level. Firms' judgment on current business conditions is almost flat. (In the previous month, “Corporate profits is improving.”)
• The employment situation is improving steadily. (The same as the previous month)
• Consumer prices are flat. (The same as the previous month)