Japan's jobless rate for September rose 0.1 percent from the previous month to 3.6 percent, up for the first time in three years and four months, government data showed Friday.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications attributed the rise to the consumption tax hike which made companies reluctant to hire more workers.
Meanwhile, the ratio of employment offers to seekers fell to 1. 09 from 1.10 in August, which means 109 positions were available for every 100 job seekers.
The number of unemployed people in the reporting period increased seasonally-adjusted 70,000, or 3.0 percent, to 2.37 million, while that of employed people rose 200,000, or 0.4 percent, to 56.26 million, the ministry said.