Japan Real Wages Drop for 4th Consecutive Month in Nov.

Jiji Press

11:15 JST, January 9, 2025

Tokyo (Jiji Press)—Real wages in Japan fell for the fourth straight month in November as electricity and city gas costs increased at a faster pace than wages, the labor ministry said Thursday.

The inflation-adjusted real wage index dropped 0.3 pct from a year before.

Real wages may increase in December, a ministry official said, citing the impact of winter bonus payments.

In November, nominal wages per worker rose 3.0 pct, growing for the 35th consecutive month. Special pay went up 7.9 pct as some companies are believed to have offered winter bonuses.

The consumer price index excluding imputed rent, used to calculate the real wage index, was up 3.4 pct, faster than October’s 2.6 pct gain. Rice prices surged and the government cut subsidies for electricity and city gas bills.

Nominal wages for full-time workers grew 3.0 pct to

¥392,121 on average.. Those of part-time workers rose 4.4 pct to ¥112,109 . Monthly work hours per person sagged 0.2 pct to 140.4 hours.