Local News

A Nishinippon Shimbun survey of 126 large companies in Kyushu and Yamaguchi Prefecture of their anticipated hiring in 2009 found that 101, or 80.1%, planned to hire either more employees than they did this year, or maintain the hiring at the same level. Many of the companies said the reason for their hiring was both to expand business opportunities and to offset the large-scale retirement of workers born during the baby boom. Nevertheless, a significant number of companies said they planned to limit hiring due to concerns over the direction of the economy.