Japan’s Real Wages Post 1st Gain in 13 Months in Jan.

Tokyo, March 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s inflation-adjusted real wage index rose 1.4 pct in January from a year earlier, the first increase in 13 months, helped by growth in regular pay and slower inflation, government data showed Monday. Monthly nominal wages, including base salary and overtime pay, rose 3.0 pct to 301,314 yen on average, up for the 49th consecutive month, the ministry said in a preliminary report covering businesses with five or more employees. Regular pay, mainly comprising base salary, climbed 3.0 pct, marking the steepest gain since the 3.1 pct rise recorded in October 1992. Special pay, including bonuses, rose 3.8 pct. The consumer price index, excluding imputed rent, rose 1.7 pct. A separate real wage index used for international comparison, calculated using the overall CPI that includes imputed rent, rose 1.6 pct, growing for the second straight month. Nominal wages for full-time workers climbed 3.3 pct to 389,218 yen, while those for part-timers rose 2.6 pct to 111,923 yen. The average hourly wage for part-time workers increased 3.7 pct to 1,447 yen. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]