According to preliminary figures released by the government on Sept. 28, there were 64.43 million people employed as of the end of August, a decline of 370,000 compared with the same period the previous year. As a result, unemployment continues to stand at a record high of 5 percent.
There are concerns that the job shortage will adversely affect the nation's economic prospects, and the government is being called upon to find solutions to the problem. This is one reason why the current extraordinary Diet session has been dubbed "the Diet session to tackle unemployment."
To implement effective policies, it is imperative to fully grasp the current circumstances surrounding the country's labor market. I would like to point out issues that are of special importance.