Japan unemployment rises from 4.1 to 4.5 %

“With the number of jobs in manufacturing falling, we’re already starting to see the impact of the global economic slowdown,” said Yoshimasa Maruyama, an economist at Itochu Corp. in Tokyo. In the event of any global financial crisis, “exports will fall off a cliff,” Maruyama said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-28/japan-october-jobless-rate-jumps-to-4-5-.html

 

I have a friend that went to Japan this year and he said people do the most stupid jobs there that have been extinct elsewhere for decades.

Like waving to people on the freeway.

With jobs like that it's not suprising you have 4% unemployment.

 

Yes, it really needs to be seen to be believed. They have old men who probably should have retired years ago working as 'security guards' at stores and working with road work crews to stand there waving on traffic, when they are fixing a footpath..... on a back street..... at 2am in the morning.......

And that isn't even an exaggeration. You only have to walk around for a day here and it becomes quickly apparent as to how they keep their unemployment % so low

 

to be honest, i love waving! i should move to japan

 

Fascinating... I'm genuinely intrigued by this. I have heard of "freeters" in the Japanese economy rounding out the share of young un- or under-employed people, can you share more about what you've come across in your experience about this?

Thanks, I appreciate your post.