The Justice Ministry has helped a total of 128 past offenders find jobs within about a year after leaving prison since the establishment of specialized job centers in November 2016, ministry data showed Wednesday.

The government had long sought prior to then to reduce repeat offender numbers by boosting employment opportunities for those that finish their sentence, but had not set up a system to inform employers about which prisons hold potential candidates.

The correctional work support centers — established in the cities of Saitama and Osaka — collect data such as the age and qualifications of some 2,500 inmates scheduled to finish their terms within the next six months. The centers then notify recruiters so they can post job offers at the appropriate offices.