Recent Statistical Survey Reports, March 2020

PDF format:506KB

Statistical Survey Reports

Survey on Public Assistance Recipients (December)

March 4, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The number of welfare recipients in December was 2,071,253 and the number of households of welfare recipients was 1,637,003.

Family Income and Expenditure Survey (January)

March 6, 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 2.1% in real terms from the previous year. The change over the year of wages & salaries was 1.7% in real terms from the previous year (household heads: 0.5% in real terms, spouse of household: 9.6% in real terms).

The average of consumption expenditures for a worker’s household with 2 or more family members was down 4.9% 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.

Monthly Labour Survey (Provisional Report in January)

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

Total amount of cash earnings increased by 1.5% and contractual cash earnings increased by 1.2% (full-time employees 1.1%, part-time employees 2.0%) from a year earlier.

Special cash earnings increased by 10.4% from a year earlier. Scheduled cash earnings increased by 1.4% and non-scheduled cash earnings decreased by 1.8% from year earlier. Real wage (total cash earnings) increased by 0.7% 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 increased by 2.1% from the previous month (seasonally adjusted).

Indexes of Business Conditions January 2020 (Preliminary Release)

March 6, released by the Cabinet Office

The Coincident Index of Composite Index (CI, revised figures, 2015=100) in January was 94.7,increased by 0.3 point. And 3 months backward moving average decreased by 0.46 point, and 7 months backward moving average decreased by 0.66 point. So the Assessment of Coincident Index was “Worsening” (The same as the previous month).

The Leading Index was 90.3, a decrease of 0.7 point, and the Lagging Index was 103.4, a decrease of 0.4 point.

Survey on Situation of Preliminary Job Offers for New Senior High School Graduates (End of January, 2020)

March 6, released by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

The ratio of final-year senior high school students with preliminary job offers was 94.4%, a decrease of 0.3 point from the same period of the previous year.

The ratio of job openings to applicants for final-year senior high school students was 2.85, 0.11 point higher than the same period of the previous year.

The ratio of job openings to applicants for final-year junior high school students was 2.31, 0.01 point lower than the same period of the previous year.

Trend in the percentage of final-year high school students
with official job offer

National Accounts (The 2nd Preliminary Estimates Oct.-Dec.2019)

March 9, released by the Cabinet Office

Real GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate (Seasonally Adjusted) at Oct.-Dec.2019 was -1.8% (-7.1% on annual basis). Of real GDP growth rate, -2.3% was contributed by domestic demand and 0.5% by external demand.

Compensation of Employees (real) was -0.4% and compensation of Employees (nominal) was 0.4% (changes from the previous quarter (seasonally adjusted)).

Quartely Estimates of GDP: Oct. ~Dec. 2019 (The 2nd Preliminary Estimates)

Growth rate of GDP from the previous Quarters(seasonally adjusted)

Contributions of Domestic Demand and External Demand to Changes in GDP

Survey on Situation of Preliminary Job Offers for New Graduate in Mar.2020 (University, etc.) (February 1, 2020)

March 18, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

The ratio of final-year university students who got an official job offer to applicants was 92.3%, increased by 0.4 point from the same period a year earlier.

Trend in the percentage of final-year university students
with official job offer

Consumer Price Index Japan (February)

March 19, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication

The consumer price index for Japan in January 2020 was 102.2(2015=100), up 0.4% over the year. All items, less fresh food, the comprehensive index was 101.9, up 0.6% from the previous year. All items, less fresh food and energy, the comprehensive index was 101.8, up 0.6% from the previous year.

Survey on Labor Economic Trend (February 2020)

March 19, released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

By the judgment of employment surplus or shortage DI as of February 1, 2020, regarding the trend of the sense of employment surplus or shortage, in the total of industries surveyed, regular staff, etc. accounted for 38 and the DI shows shortage for 35 consecutive terms. And, that of part-time workers accounted for 27 and the DI shows shortage for 42 consecutive terms.

Indexes of Business Conditions January 2020(Revision of the Preliminary Release)

March 24, released by the Cabinet Office

The Coincident Index of Composite Index (CI, revised figures, 2015=100) in January was 95.2, an increase of 0.8 point. And 3 months backward moving average decreased for 0.30 point, and 7 months backward moving average decreased for 0.59 point. So the Assessment of Coincident Index was “Worsening” (The same as the previous month)

The Leading Index was 90.5, a decrease of 0.4 point, and the Lagging Index was 103.7, unchanged.

Survey on Supply and Demand of Construction Labor

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

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

March 27, released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The consumer price index for Ku-area of Tokyo in March 2020(preliminary) was 101.8(2015=100), up 0.4% from the previous year. All items, less fresh food, the comprehensive index was 101.7, up 0.4% from the previous year. All items, less fresh food and energy, the comprehensive index was 102.0, up 0.7% from the previous year.

Indices of Industrial Production (February)

March 31, released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

The index of industrial production (seasonally adjusted, 2015=100) increased by 0.4% from the previous month. According to the Survey of Production Forecast in Manufacturing, Production is expected to decrease in March and increase in April.

Labour Force Survey (February)

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

The unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) was 2.4%, unchanged from the previous month. That for men was 2.6% increased by 0.2 point from and that for women was 2.2%, unchanged from the previous month.

The number of unemployed persons (seasonally adjusted) was 1.66million, increased by 20 thousand from the previous month.

The number of employees was 60.26 million, increased by 640 thousand from the previous year.

Among them, the number of regular employee was 35.30 million, increased by 440 thousand from the previous year and the number of non-regular employee was 21.59million, increased by 20 thousand from the previous year.

Employment Referrals for General Workers (February)

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

Active job openings-to-applicants ratio (seasonally adjusted) was 1.45, decreased by 0.04 point from the previous month.

The number of monthly active job openings (person(s)) (seasonally adjusted) was decreased by 2.2% from the previous month and the number of monthly active applications (person(s)) (seasonally adjusted) was increased by 0.3% from the previous month.

New job openings-to-applicants ratio (seasonally adjusted) was 2.22, increased by 0.18 point from the previous month.

Active job openings-to-applicants ratio for regular staff (seasonally adjusted) was 1.05, decreased by 0.02 point from the previous month.

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

Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2019)

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

The average scheduled cash earning for general employees was 307,700yen (an increase of 0.5% from the previous year), that for men was 338,000yen (an increase of 0.1% from the previous year) and that for women was 251,000yen (an increase of 1.4% from the previous year).

Hourly wages of part-time employees was 1,148yen (an increase of 1.8% from the previous year), that for men was 1,207yen (an increase of 1.5% from the previous year), that for women was 1,127yen (an increase of 2.0% from the previous year).

Other Reports

Monthly Economic Report (March)

March 26, released by the Cabinet Office

The Japanese economy is in severe situation, extremly depressed by the Novel Coronavirus. .(In the previous month, “The Japanese economy is recovering at a moderate pace, while increased weakness mainly among manufacturers is continuing, as exports remain in a weak tone.”)

• Private consumption is showing weakness recently due to the influence of the infectious disease. (In the previous month, “Private consumption is in picking up”)
• Business investment is almost flat. (In the previous month, “Business investment shows weakness in some components, although it is on the increase at a moderate pace.”)
• Exports are in a weak tone. (The same as the previous month)
• Industrial production remains in a weak tone. (“The same as the previous month”)
• Corporate profits are in a weak tone mainly among manufacturers. Firms' judgments on current business conditions is deteriorating, due to the influence of the infectious disease. (In the previous month, “Corporate profits holds firm at a high level.”)
• Employment situation is affected by the infectious disease although it has been improving. (In the previous month, “Employment situation is improving.”)
• Consumer prices are flat recently. (In the previous month, Consumer prices are rising at a slower tempo recently.)