Many prospective college graduates are facing a cold, grim winter in their job hunt.

A survey by the labor and education ministries found that only 73.1 percent of university students graduating this year had received job offers as of Dec. 1, down from 80.5 percent a year earlier. That is the lowest figure since the survey was begun in 1996.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Labor Bureau are trying to help by sponsoring a job fair next month.