TOKYO, March 1 (UPI) -- Japan's jobless rate inched up to 4.6 percent in January from December's revised 4.5 percent, the government announced Friday.

More new jobseekers entered the market in January, which raised the jobless numbers, the announcement said, Kyodo News reported.


The January figures showed there were 3.05 million unemployed people in the country, up 90,000 or 3 percent from December.

The government said with Japan showing signs of economic recovery, more people, especially women, were looking for new jobs offering higher salaries or returning to the jobs market.