As for labor market conditions, the unemployment rate remained high and growth in the number of the regularly employed stagnated owing to persistent adjustment pressures on personnel expenses in the corporate sector. However, overtime working hours and the number of new job offers increased steadily, reflecting production growth and improvements in corporate profits, and compensation of employees rose gradually, particularly in special cash earnings.
In sum, the overall labor market conditions followed a recovery trend. BIS Review 78/1997  -2-  While substantially stimulative monetary and fiscal policy measures in fiscal 1995 continued to underpin economic recovery in early fiscal 1996, a positive cycle of demand, production, and income began to operate, underpinning the economic recovery throughout fiscal 1996.