Japan's jobless rate rises to 3.6%

Tokyo - Japan's unemployment rate climbed to 3.6% in January for the first rise in four months, the government said Friday.

Service and entertainment industries saw a decrease of 60 000 jobs from a year earlier to 2.27 million, and transport and mailing industries eliminated 60 000 positions to 3.32 million, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said.

The number of temporary and part-time jobs rose by 330 000 from a year earlier to 19.89 million in January, the ministry said.