In brief
Japan’s real wages increased by 2.2 % year‑on‑year in September, the ninth consecutive month of gain, thanks to spring labor negotiations and slower inflation. Nominal wages jumped 4.6 %, while consumer prices grew 2.4 % this month versus 3.4 % a year earlier. The lift overturns a 12‑month decline seen in 2025.
Japan’s real wages rose 2.2 percent in September, the ninth month of consecutive gains, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said Friday. The data come from preliminary surveys covering companies with five or more employees.
Nominal wages – total cash earnings including base, overtime and special payments – climbed 4.6 percent to an average of 311,409 yen, or about 1,973 U.S. dollars, per worker. Consumer prices used to calculate real wages increased 2.4 percent in September, compared with 3.4 percent a year earlier, the ministry noted.
The lift reflects pay hikes secured in this year’s spring labor negotiations. It also coincides with a slower pace of inflation, allowing the nominal wage gains to translate into higher real purchasing power.
Japan’s real wage index had declined for 12 months in 2025. After that slump, the September figure signals a rebound and continued upward momentum for workers’ earnings.
Both Xinhua and independent source Jiji reported the 2.2 percent rise and the 4.6 percent nominal wage increase, confirming the government’s preliminary data.
