AI Data Insight
Japan's number of unemployed recorded 1.85 million in Q2 2026, dropping significantly from the previous value of 1.93 million. Although the unemployment rate held steady at a low level of 2.5%, the jobs-to-applicants ratio edged down to 1.17, and new job openings contracted. This indicates marginal cooling signs in an otherwise tight labor market, which will influence the Bank of Japan's subsequent pace of interest rate hikes.