Japan's unemployment rate decreased to 4.4 percent in May from 4.6 percent in April, government data showed Friday.
Economists expected a fall to 4.5 percent. The number of unemployed persons in May was 2.97 million, a decrease of 5.4 percent from the previous year.
Labor force participation rate was 59.5 percent in May, 0.2 percentage points less than a month earlier.
The employment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from a month earlier to 56.8 percent.
A separate data showed that household spending rose 4 percent from a year earlier following a 2.6 percent rise in April. Expectations were for a 2.3 percent gain.
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