Real wage logs sharpest fall in 25 months in July

September 6, 2017

TOKYO- The price-adjusted real wage index in Japan in July fell 0.8 percent from a year earlier, posting the steepest drop since June 2015, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said in a preliminary report on Wednesday.

The index was down for the second consecutive month. The poor showing reflected a decrease in special pay, including summer bonuses.

Still, a ministry official said wages are on a moderate uptrend, referring to growth in basic pay.

Overall wages per worker shrank 0.3 percent to 371,808 yen, the first decline in 14 months.

Of the total, regular pay rose 0.5 percent to 242,487 yen, while overtime and other non-regular wages grew 0.1 percent to 19,165 yen. Special pay, including bonuses, was down 2.2 percent at 110,156 yen.

Meanwhile, the country's consumer price index excluding imputed rents for July climbed 0.6 percent. Jiji Press