IMF--Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board--Japan:Labor market: Employment(Base Page)

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Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board

Special Data Dissemination Standard
(AS PROVIDED TO THE IMF BY THE RESPECTIVE COUNTRY)

Japan
Labor market: Employment
(Labour Force Survey (Employment) )

Last Posted:	Jan-19-2010
Last Certified:	Jan-20-2010
Last Updated:	Jan-19-2010

Contact Person(s)		Printer Friendly Page
	Mr. Koji Kato, Director, Labor Force Statistics Office, Statistical Survey Department, Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), 19-1, Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan 162-8668
	Phone :	81 3 52731161
	Fax :	81 3 52731184
	Email :	labor@stat.go.jp
Dissemination Formats

Summary Methodology
Access National Summary Data Page
Cross-country comparisons: access the DSBB metadata query facility

The Data: Coverage, Periodicity, and Timeliness
Coverage characteristics
5.1.1 Statistical presentation

Data are also disseminated on: the number of employed persons, broken down by age, occupation, and industry; the population 15 years old and over in the labour force; and the labour force participation rate.

The number of employed persons covers both those 15 years old and over who are defined as "employed, at work" and those 15 years old and over who are defined as "employed, not at work". "Employed, at work" covers those persons who worked for pay or profit for at least one hour during the reference period. Family workers are also included in this category, even if they were not paid. "Employed, not at work" covers those employees who did not work during the reference period, but who received or expected to receive wages or salaries. The category also covers self-employed workers who did not work during the reference period and whose absence from work has not exceeded 30 days.

The data are presented on both a seasonally-adjusted and a non-seasonally adjusted format.

The reference period to which the employment data refer is one week ending on the last day of each month, except December for which it is one week from 20 to 26.
Periodicity
4.1.1 Periodicity
Monthly
Timeliness
4.1.2 Timeliness
About one month after the end of the reference month.
Access by the Public
Advance dissemination of
release calendar
5.1.3 Advance release calendar

A schedule of precise dates of release for the following fiscal year is published by the beginning of March every year. Every issue of the Monthly Results on the Labour Force Survey carries this release schedule.
Simultaneous release to all
interested parties
5.1.4 Simultaneous release

The SBJ releases the data to the public, in principle, at 8:30 A.M. of the release day, and then holds a press conference.

Immediately after the release, the SBJ distributes the data by means of a hardcopy summary report (Monthly Result, available in Japanese only) and on its Internet website (http://www.stat.go.jp/data/roudou/index.htm) in Japanese and (http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/roudou/index.htm) in English.
Integrity
Dissemination of terms and
conditions under which
official statistics are
produced, including those
relating to the confidentiality
of individually identifiable
information
0.1.1 Responsibility for collecting, processing, and disseminating statistics
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) executes and tabulates the Population Census and other fundamental statistical censuses and surveys in order to accomplish its responsibilities by the Law to Establish the MIC (July 16, 1999) . These census and surveys conducted by the Statistics Bureau of Japan (SBJ) are governed by the Statistics Act (Act no.53 of 2007).

Labor market: Employment

The Cabinet Order on the Organization of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) (Article 117) and the Regulation on the Organization of the MIC (Article 72) specify that the Statistics Bureau of Japan (SBJ) has the responsibility for the data execution and tabulation of the Labour Force Survey (LFS).

The LFS conducted by the SBJ is one of the Fundamental Statistics governed by the Statistics Act (Maj 23, 2007).

This Law prescribes the dissemination of the Fundamental Statistics (Article 8).
0.1.2 Data sharing and coordination among data producing agencies
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)

The administrative organ or an incorporated administrative agency, etc. may utilize questionnaire information pertaining to statistical surveys they have conducted in the following cases:

(i) When producing statistics or conducting statistical research

(ii) When preparing lists of names to be used for surveys for producing statistics.
0.1.3 Confidentiality of individual reporters' data
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)
The Statistics Act (Article 39, 40, 41 and 43) stipulates the confidentiality of statistics. The act also stipulates the penalty for offenders (Article 57,58,59,60,61 and 62).
0.1.4 Ensuring statistical reporting
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)
The administrative organ may, when conducting a fundamental statistical survey, request individuals or juridical persons, or other organizations to report on matters necessary for producing fundamental statistics. (Statistics Act (Article 13)).
0.4.1 Quality policy
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)
In the “Mission and action precept of the SBJ”, which is announced in April 2003, following points are shown; (i) To maintain the statistics which are useful to the society systematically, corresponding to the changes of socioeconomic situation, (ii) To pursue the neutral, objective, and accurate statistics based on definitive theories and technologies and (iii) To contribute to internal and external development of statistics by acquiring professional knowledge appropriate as a staff of the statistical agency playing a core part in Japan, with attention to the latest theories and technologies actively. The concepts are well known broadly to the whole organization. The staffs have a chance to take various trainings.
1.1.1 Impartiality of statistics
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)

It is an important role for the SBJ to provide accurate statistics. The SBJ does not make a political decision. Therefore, the published statistics data are not interfered by other governmental organizations.

The SBJ puts high value on the specialties such as the data processing (or IT) and statistical techniques. The Statistical Research and Training Institute provide statistical training for the personnel of national and local governments regularly. And we always try to enhance the statistical techniques through internal workshops including external committee members (academic experts).
1.1.2 Selection of sources, methodology, and modes of dissemination

The Statistics Law specifies that the details of the LFS including survey items, coverage, reference period (survey week), and methodology are prescribed by the regulation on the LFS.
1.2.1 Disclosure of terms and conditions for statistical collection, processing, and dissemination
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)

The Tokei Roppo, a statute book concerning statistics, contains the law, order, and regulations. This book and copies of the Statistics Law are available in Japanese at:

Government Publication Service Center,
2-1, 1-chome Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, 100-0013, Japan.
Phone: 81 3 3504 3885.
Fax: 81 3 3504 3889.

The Statistics Law is also reproduced on the SBJ internet website (http://www.stat.go.jp).
1.3.1 Guidelines for staff behavior
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)

All officials attend the ethical training program as they start to work. As for statistics, confidentiality rules and disclosure penalties covering all statistical activities are covered in the Statistic Law. Especially, staffs who are involved in statistics must also get ethical training on statistics.　

Identification of internal
government access to data
before release
1.2.2 Internal governmental access to statistics prior to release
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)
In principle, no government officials except the engaged staff members of the SBJ have access to the data prior to release.
Labor market: Employment

Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications and Minister for Health, Labour and Welfare have access to the data in the afternoon one day before release day.

The Prime Minister and Chief Cabinet Secretary have access to the data one hour before release time.

Identification of ministerial
commentary on the occasion of
statistical releases
1.2.3 Attribution of statistical products
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)
Concerning statistical reports which the SBJ produces, the origin of the statistics is explicitly stated.
Provision of information
about revision and advance
notice of major changes in
methodology
4.3.1 Revision schedule
The non-seasonally adjusted data are final and are not subject to revision. The seasonally adjusted monthly data for the previous years are revised at the time that the data for January are released.
4.3.2 Identification of preliminary and/or revised data
The non-seasonally adjusted data are final and are not subject to revision.
1.2.4 Advance notice of major changes in methodology, source data, and statistical techniques.
As the methodology is prescribed by the regulation on the LFS, it is necessary to consult with the Statistics Council and to change the regulation in instances when changes are made to the methodology. A major change would be identified when the new data are released.
Quality
Dissemination of
documentation on methodology
and sources used in preparing
statistics
5.2.1 Dissemination of documentation on concepts, scope, classifications, basis of recording, data sources, and statistical techniques

The Monthly Report on the Labour Force Survey publishes information on the outline of the survey. The Annual Report on the Labour Force Survey and Annual Report on the Labour Force Survey (Detailed Tabulation) publish more detailed information such as sampling method, estimation method, sampling errors of estimates, and questionnaires, in addition to the outline.

(See also summary methodology)
Dissemination of component
detail, reconciliations with
related data, and statistical
frameworks that support
statistical cross-checks
and provide assurance of
reasonableness
4.2.1 Internal consistency

The Monthly Results (in Japanese only) publishes the following detailed data on employment for the latest month:

Population of 15 years old or more by labour force status, employed person by industry, and unemployed person (the latest month) (Table 1);
Population of 15 years old or more by labour force status (Table 2);
Employed person by agriculture and forestry or non-agricultural industries and status in employment and weekly hours of work for employed person at work in non-agricultural industries (Table 3);
Employed person by major industry (Table 4);
Employee by major industry (Table 5);
Employee in non-agricultural industries by status in employment and number of persons engaged in enterprise (Table 6);
Employed person at work by class of weekly hours of work (Table 7);
Employed person by age (Table 13);
Ratio of employed in population of 15 years old or more by age(Table 16);
Seasonally adjusted series of major items (Table 18)

The Annual Report on the Labour Force Survey publishes detailed annual employment data broken down by sex, age group, relationship to the head of household, industry, and status in employment, as well as data at the same level of detail as in the monthly report tables referred to above. The annual report also publishes information on sample errors.

The Detailed Tabulation (that was released as "the Special Survey of the Labour Force Survey" in 2001 and before) publishes the following detailed data on employment quarterly:

Summary Table:Population of 15 years old or more by labour force status, employed persons, unemployed persons and persons not in labour force

Employee by type of employment　 (Table 1);
Employee excluding executive of company or corporation by major industry, type of employment (Table 2);
Employee excluding executive of company or corporation by age group, type of employment (Table 3);
Employed persons who changed jobs in the past 1 year by age group (Table 4);
Rate of employed persons who changed jobs in the past 1 year by age group (Table 5);
Employed persons who changed jobs in the past 1 year by age group, in/decrease of income (Table 6).

The following SBJ Internet website publish the monthly data for the latest month, quarterly data, and the annual data for the latest year with the same level of detail of the monthly and annual reports (http://www.stat.go.jp/data/roudou/index.htm) in Japanese, and (http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/roudou/index.htm) in English.

Footnotes

Last posted: Date IMF staff last posted an update to these metadata on the DSBB.

Last certified: Date subscriber last officially certified the accuracy of these metadata.

Last updated: Date subscriber last submitted an update of these metadata to the IMF.