EXCLUSIVE: Japan Electronics Unions to Accept Pay Scale Hike of 12,000 Yen or More

Tokyo, March 14 (Jiji Press)–The umbrella body for labor unions at Japanese electronics makers plans to allow member unions to accept pay scale hike offers from management in the ongoing 2026 “shunto” annual wage negotiations if the proposed levels are 12,000 yen or higher per month, Jiji Press learned Saturday. The minimum acceptable level will be higher than last year’s 10,000 yen or more. The hike is intended to help sustainably realize robust pay increases outpacing inflation. The Japanese Electrical Electronic & Information Union is expected to make a decision on the matter Monday, informed sources said. Unions at major electronics makers have demanded a monthly pay scale hike of 18,000 yen. Labor-management negotiations in the 2026 shunto are in the final stretch toward Wednesday, when many major companies in Japan are slated to present their responses. Starting with the 2020 shunto, the umbrella body for electronics unions allows agreed pay hikes to vary from company to company if the levels are at or above the minimum acceptable standards set by the organization. Agreed pay increases are highly likely to differ again this year, due to gaps among companies with regard to earnings performances and business environments. NEC Corp., which is enjoying rosy earnings, has already informed its labor union of a plan to fully meet the union request for a monthly pay scale hike of 18,000 yen. In the 2025 shunto, unions at major electronics makers sought a pay scale increase of 17,000 yen per month. In response, NEC, Hitachi Ltd. and Fujitsu Ltd. fully accepted their unions’ demands. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Toshiba Corp. and Sharp Corp. concluded their negotiations with the labor side at 15,000 yen, 14,000 yen and 12,000 yen, respectively. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]