Japan jobless rate rises, household spending falls

Japan's unemployment rate rose for a third straight month in May, while household wages and spending fell, the government said Tuesday.

The country's seasonally adjusted jobless rate climbed to 5.2 percent, up from 5.1 percent in April and the highest level since December.

The number of jobless stood at 3.47 million, which is unchanged from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Those with jobs fell 0.7 percent to 62.95 million.

The result reflects a still-fragile recovery for the world's second biggest economy, where an export boom has been slow to translate into sustained improvements for workers and families.

A separate government report showed household spending in May fell a real 0.7 percent from a year earlier as incomes retreated. Average monthly household income fell a real 2.4 percent from a year earlier to 421,413 yen ($4,714).

A labor ministry report, however, pointed to some bright spots in the jobs picture. The ratio of job offers to job seekers stood at a seasonally adjusted 0.50 in May, up from 0.48 in April. That means there were 50 positions available for every 100 job seekers.