Effective job openings-to-applicants ratio in January: National average 1.27 times, same level for 3 consecutive months. Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare says, number of job offers is decreasing in some industries due to the impact of soaring raw material prices.
Fukui prefecture has the highest ratio of 1.91 times, followed by Yamaguchi prefecture with 1.69 times. The lowest rates were in Osaka Prefecture at 1.06 times, Kanagawa prefecture at1.09 times, and Hokkaido at 1,11 times.