Japan’s Unemployment Rate Holds at Two-Decade Low in April

Japan’s jobless rate remained at the lowest in more than two decades last month, and retail sales rose from March, climbing for a fourth month.

Private demand rebounded during the first three months of the year as Japan’s economy expanded for a fifth consecutive quarter, its longest run of growth in a decade. But households have struggled, with workers receiving limited pay increases despite the tight labor market. With private consumption accounting for almost 60 percent of the economy, wages and consumer spending will need to gain traction before Japan’s recovery becomes self-sustaining.