The unemployment rate edged up 0.1 percentage point from the previous month to 2.5 percent in January, reflecting a rising number of women quitting their jobs for better positions amid the tightest labor market in decades, government data showed Friday.
The jobless rate marked the first rise in two months, though it stayed around its lowest level in 26 years, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
The job availability ratio stood at 1.63, staying flat from December, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said. The ratio means there were 163 openings for every 100 job seekers.