Japan's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 4.7 percent in October, unchanged from September, although the number of jobholders increased for the first time in 33 months from a year earlier, the Management and Coordination Agency said Friday.
The jobless rate for men rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.9 percent in October, but the rate for women dropped by 0.2 point to 4.3 percent. The number of jobholders increased by 80,000 from a year earlier to 65.08 million. It was the first increase since January 1998.
"There are some improvements, but the employment situation remains severe," an agency official said.