Job losses due to pandemic exceed 90,000 in Japan
More than 90,000 employees have been fired or had their labor contracts terminated due to the spread of the coronavirus, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry revealed Monday.
The number of such workers, including estimations, rose to 90,185 as of Feb. 26, the ministry announced. The number has increased by 10,000 in about two months since the figure exceeded 80,000 in early January. The situation was particularly serious in areas where a second state of emergency had been declared.
As of Feb. 19, the most recent date available for detailed analysis, the figures were 19,071 in the manufacturing industry, 11,773 in the restaurant industry, 11,655 in the retail industry and 10,753 in the accommodations industry. By prefecture, Tokyo had the highest number with 20,623, followed by Osaka with 7,598, Aichi with 4,842 and Kanagawa with 4,265. By employment status, 42,160 non-regular workers lost their jobs between May 25 last year and Feb. 19.
Expectations are that some companies will downsize their workforces in March, the end of the business year for many Japanese firms, and more workers, especially non-regular employees, may lose their jobs or not have their contracts renewed.