Japan's unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percent to a six-year low of 4.4 percent in December.

The government said Friday the December data brought the nation's average unemployment rate in 2004 to 4.7 percent, down 0.6 percentage point from the previous year and representing a second straight year of decline.

The annual average rate fell below 5 percent for the first time since 2000, reflecting an overall economic pickup that started in summer 2003, according to a government official.