According to statistics released by Tokyo Shoko Research Limited, more listed companies offered early retirement plans for regular employees than in all of 2008 from January 1st 2009 to March 5th 2009.

It said that 81 publicly traded companies announced early retirement programs in the year's first 9 weeks. Of the 81 firms, 70 disclosed the targeted number of applicants, which totaled 6,665. In 2008, the figure was 7,462 at 54 companies.

(Sourced from www.asahi.com)