A total of 277,674 nonregular workers at 5,252 businesses will have lost or are expected to lose their jobs from October 2008 to this June, a labor ministry survey indicated Friday.
The figure, including people whose contracts with manpower agencies were not renewed, is up 2,660 from the previous survey taken in April, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said.
But a ministry official said things have improved.
"Employment conditions for nonregular workers have stabilized" compared with past periods when companies terminated contracts for dispatch workers, the official said.
By prefecture, Aichi, where the heart of the domestic auto industry is based, remained at the top of the list with 45,355 nonregular workers who have lost or are expected to lose their jobs, followed by Tokyo with 16,581 and Shizuoka with 11,342.
The survey was compiled with data available as of May 19.