The nation's unemployment rate hit 5 percent in January after falling to its lowest level in two years the month before, but the government said Friday it was a temporary setback in a bigger move toward recovery.

The jobless rate in the world's second-largest economy has hovered around 5 percent since July 2001, as a long stagnation took its toll on the labor market.

The unemployment rate stood at 4.9 percent in December, down from 5.1 percent in November. Analysts had expected January's rate to stay at 4.9 percent.