Japan Average Wage Rises 3.1 Pct in 2025

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–The average monthly pay for full-time workers in Japan rose 3.1 pct from the previous year to 340,600 yen in 2025, posting a record high for the fourth consecutive year amid continued wage hikes, government data showed Tuesday. The increase, however, fell short of a 3.8 pct climb registered in 2024. In the labor ministry’s latest Basic Survey on Wage Structure, the wage index came to 76.6 for women, against 100 for men. This was the narrowest gender pay gap since comparable data became available in 1976, reflecting a rise in the proportion of women in full-time employment and in section manager positions. By company size, the average pay grew 5.7 pct among large companies with at least 1,000 employees, 1.0 pct among midsize firms with 100 to 999 employees and 2.1 pct for small businesses with 10 to 99 employees. The survey covered wages for June last year at companies with 10 or more employees. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]