About 7.01 million workers lost their jobs in 2001, marking the largest exodus ever, according to an annual report on employment released recently by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, which started compiling relevant figures in 1991.

During the same period, however, about 6.26 million people found jobs, also the largest figure ever.

The employee turnover rate -- the ratio of people who lost jobs to those employed -- came to 16.9 percent, up 0.9 percentage point from the previous year.

The job influx rate -- the ratio of people who found new jobs to those employed -- stood at 15.1 percent, up 0.4 point.

The turnover rate exceeded the influx rate for the fifth consecutive year. The margin of 1.8 points was up from the previous year's 1.3-point spread, indicating a worsening trend.

Among those who lost jobs, 66.3 percent said they did so due to "personal reasons," while only 12 percent said it was due to "reasons of employers." The latter figure was the highest ever, based on the ministry survey, which it started to take in 1964.

Among workers with regular jobs, the turnover ratio exceeded that of influx by 2.5 points. Among nonregular workers, the situation was the opposite, with the influx rate eclipsing the turnover rate by 1.5 points.