JAPAN

Unemployment Up First Time in 6 Years: Japanese unemployment has risen for the first time in six years, the government said, while economists warned that more workers will soon face the bleak prospect of joblessness. Unemployment inched up to 2.2% in the fiscal year ended March 31, a relatively tiny increase from 2.1% the previous year. The jobless rate for March was 2.3%, unchanged for the third straight month.