The number of local government employees dropped by a record 41,475 in fiscal 2004 to 3.04 million as of April 1, declining for the 11th consecutive year, a government survey showed Monday.
The drop followed a decrease of some 33,000 in fiscal 2003, which was the previous record, according to the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry.
There were 1.61 million prefectural employees stood at the beginning of fiscal 2005, down 11,294, and 1.43 million municipal employees, down 30,181.
Greater outsourcing of government services, restructuring and payroll cuts accounted for a large part of the decline, according to the ministry.
Compared with an index figure of 100 for the average basic monthly salary of central government workers, the pay of local government workers stood at 98.0 for fiscal 2005.
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