Japan's low jobless rate conceals deeper labour market pain

Manufacturers surveyed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry expect output to shrink 4.1% in May and rise 3.9% in June, the data showed

TOKYO: Japan's labour market in April appeared to be weathering a severe slowdown in economic activity due to the coronavirus pandemic, but a closer look at official data released on Friday revealed a less rosy picture.

Japan's jobless rate rose to 2.6% in April from 2.5% in the previous month, a far cry from the 14.7% in the United States in April, a post-World War Two record, and the 7.7% in the euro zone in March. But economists say the small rise in the official unemployment rate masks the full extent of the pain.