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Cashiers at a Tokyo supermarket are busy at work Friday, Feb. 28, 2003. Japan's unemployment rate announced earlier in the day hit a record high 5.5 percent in January for the third time in half a year as the nation battles serious job losses in the retail and restaurant business. Reflecting dwindling retail and restaurant jobs, recent figures show the job crunch is spreading to women. The unemployment rate for women was at 5.5 percent in January, the highest ever for females. The rate for men was 5.6 percent. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)