The latest employment figures show that Japan's job market worsened in July as employers struggled with higher prices.

The labor ministry says there were 129 job openings for every 100 applicants last month. That's down from 130 in June, marking the third straight month of declines.

Officials say the manufacturing and construction sectors are offering fewer jobs because rising raw material costs are cutting into profits.

Data from the internal affairs ministry show that the jobless rate was 2.7 percent in July. That's up two-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month.

Officials say a higher unemployment rate among women pushed up the overall number. They say more women quit their jobs and started to look for work with better pay to cope with higher prices.