TOKYO (AFX-ASIA) - The unemployment rate in May stood at 4.9 pct, a record high, up from 4.8 pct in April, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications said. Japan's unemployment rate also hit 4.9 pct in January this year and in December 2000.
In May, the male unemployment rate rose to 5.1 pct, a record high, from 5. 0 pct in April, while the female unemployment rate increased to 4.6 pct from 4.4 pct, it said.
The ministry provided the following May data, with changes from a year earlier:
Jobless - 3.48 mln, up 200,000
Laid-off in month - 1.02 mln, up 10,000
Employed - 64.73 mln, down 300,000
Non-farm payroll - 53.75 mln, up 370,000
Part-time workers - 5.52 mln, up 350,000

April data, with changes from a year earlier:
Jobless - 3.48 mln, up 20,000
Laid-off in month - 1.11 mln, down 30,000
Employed - 64.27 mln, down 130,000
Non-farm payroll - 53.21 mln, up 670,000
Part-time workers - 5.37 mln, up 300,000

Sectoral breakdown of May employment, with changes from a year earlier:
Agriculture, forestry - 3.17 mln, down 140,000
Manufacturing - 12.91 mln, down 210,000
Services - 17.58 mln, up 260,000
Wholesale, retail, restaurant - 15.00 mln, down 600,000
Construction - 6.34 mln, down 80,000
Transport, telecoms - 4.09 mln, down 70,000