TOKYO, Jan 23 - Japan's unemployment rate probably stood at 5.2 percent in December, unchanged from the previous month, the median forecast in a poll by journalists showed on Friday. Forecasts in the poll of 27 economists ranged from 5.3 percent to 5.0 percent. The jobless rate hit a record high of 5.5 percent in January 2003. The jobs-to-applicants ratio probably improved to 0.75 from the previous month's 0.74, meaning there were 75 jobs available per 100 job seekers. "There is a gentle recovery in labour demand, which can be seen in the increase in new job openings," said Satsuki Taguchi, economist at Norinchukin Research. "But it doesn't equate to a turn for the better in the employment environment."//www.reuters.com