The unemployment rate in Japan came in at a seasonally adjusted 2.4 percent in January, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said on Friday, cited by rttnews.

That was well beneath forecasts for 2.8 percent, which would have been unchanged from the December reading.

The job-to-applicant ratio came in at 1.59 - unchanged from the previous month but missing expectations for 1.60.

The labor force participation rate was 60.5 percent - unchanged from December.