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Economy

Japan owes tens of billions of yen worth of unemployment benefits

Labor surveys failed to take big Tokyo companies into account for 14 years

Japan jobless
Jobless benefits in Japan are based on average wage levels as determined by a monthly survey. But that survey for years failed to include many large companies, an error that deflated benefits.

TOKYO -- The Japanese government has failed to pay out tens of billions of yen (several hundred million dollars) in unemployment insurance and similar benefits due to years of inaccurate labor surveys, according to an internal investigation.

The benefits are calculated based on the Monthly Labor Survey, carried out by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The survey looks at wage levels, working hours and other elements that make up the current jobs picture.

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