October-March temp firings up 26% to 157,806

An estimated 157,806 nonregular employees, mainly temporary workers in the manufacturing sector, are expected to lose their jobs between last October and next month amid the recession, a labor ministry survey showed Friday.

The estimated number of job cuts during the six-month period represents a 26.4 percent rise from the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry’s projection in its January survey, a finding highlighting the severity of the employment conditions of Japanese companies.

Temporary workers accounted for 107,375, or 68.0 percent, of the estimated 157,806 jobs being lost during the October-March period.

The remainder includes 28,877 contract employees and 12,988 workers hired by employment agencies.

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