Japan: Real wages down for 4th straight year

Japanese government data show that the average monthly salary in 2015 grew from a year earlier, but real wages adjusted for inflation actually fell for a 4th straight year.

Labor ministry officials say the average worker earned about 2,700 dollars a month last year. That was the 2nd year it increased.

And it was up one-tenth of a percent from 2014 in yen terms.

But wages in real terms remained on the decline, dropping nearly one percent year-on-year.

Officials say this reflects the larger group of part-time workers, who are paid less than full-timers.

The officials say the wage raises apparently were not enough to make up for rising prices. But they say real wages fell at a slower pace last year.

 

Source and image: NHK