In Kagoshima, the prefectural Labour Bureau said last year's average effective job openings-to-applicants ratio was 1.07, down from 1.15 the previous year, marking a third consecutive decline. Monthly new openings averaged 12,611, down 7.1% from two years earlier. Wholesale/retail and accommodation and food services together fell about 16%. Officials say that while labor shortages persist, inflation and higher labor costs are dampening hiring. Separately, the number of foreign workers in Kagoshima reached 16,562, employed at 2,679 firms, both records highs.