Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Chikara Sakaguchi on Wednesday called on the ministry's 47 prefectural labor bureaus to tailor their unemployment measures to the needs of their respective areas.

"The health ministry is continually implementing effective steps, such as the plan to establish a panel of experts against unemployment centering on the service sector," Sakaguchi told a meeting of about 200 bureau officials.

"We hope the local labor bureaus will deepen their relations with prefectural authorities as well as the labor and business leaders in each area" to map out effective steps, the minister said.

The 47 prefectural labor bureaus hold meetings for senior officials every six months. Wednesday's took place against a jobless rate that surged to a record-high 5.5 percent in November.

Heads of the health ministry's labor standards and employment security bureaus briefed the officials about the national government's steps to fight unemployment, including those funded by the fiscal 2002 budget.

In particular, the ministry officials called on the local bureau chiefs to ensure the effective use of a special fund aimed at creating jobs with efforts from both the central and local governments.

A total of 350 billion yen has been allocated in the extra budget for fiscal 2001 for the special fund.