JAPAN

Unemployment Rate Still Envy of West: Despite Japan’s two-year economic slowdown, workers are suffering less than might be expected and are doing better than their counterparts in the United States or Europe, figures show. The Management and Coordination Agency said the nation’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in April remained steady for the fourth month in a row at 2.3%, low enough to make governments of other rich countries green with envy. Economists said they were surprised by the figure in light of the nation’s current slowdown.