Tokyo - Japanese workers put in an average of 1,792 hours in 2008, a fall of 0.9 per cent from a year before, the government said Tuesday.

The average work hours per employee at Japanese firms with at least five employees fell below 1,800 hours for the first time since 1990, when the government began taking data, the labour ministry said.

The average work hours shortened in the reporting year since the global recession slowed business operations, especially in the latter half of the year, the ministry said.

The government has tried to maintain the average work hours per employee at 1,800 hours for better labour conditions and for keeping a similar level to that of the United States and Europe. (dpa)