TOKYO - A JAPANESE taxi company on Friday offered some holiday cheer in gloomy economic times, saying it would hire 6,000 drivers in a bid to give work to people who lost their jobs.

Daiichi Koutsu Sangyo, which is headquartered in the southern city of Kitakyushu and operates nationally, said the move would expand its work force by half from its current 13,000 drivers.

'We believe we should raise a voice during this recession,' a company spokesman said.

'Our business wouldn't be hurt even if we accept new recruits during this economic slump,' he said.

Daiichi Koutsu Sangyo said that each new driver would become a regular employee of the company after they complete a three-month probation. It will hire the drivers between now and March.

The company said it took the decision after hearing of layoffs at Japan's automakers, where some former workers have taken jobs as taxi drivers.

Japan has long championed job security and used to pride itself on a narrow gap between the rich and poor.

But automakers and electronics makers are now drastically slashing their workforce with their sales plunging due to the global economic crisis. Many people losing work had temporary contracts, which offered little job security.

Japan's government forecast on Friday that the economy would see no growth into early 2010. -- AFP