Japan's inflation‑adjusted real wages rose 2.2 percent in September, according to a preliminary data release by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on Friday. The rise marks the ninth month in a row of year‑on‑year growth in the labor‑market index.
Nominal wages, measured by total cash earnings for workers at firms with five or more employees, climbed 4.6 percent over the year. The average salary for a worker in September was 311,409 yen, or roughly $1,973, the ministry said.
Consumer prices used to compute real wages increased 2.4 percent in September, a slowdown from the 3.4 percent rise recorded a year earlier. The moderate inflation pace helped lift the real‑wage figure even as the nominal wage index showed robust gains.
In 2025 Japan experienced a 12‑month stretch of declining real wages, from January to December. The current September gain signals a reversal that could herald a broader recovery in worker pay, the ministry noted.
Jiji Press also reported on Friday that the inflation‑adjusted real‑wage index rose 2.2 percent in September, stating it was the ninth consecutive monthly improvement. The outlet emphasized the significance of the uninterrupted climb, echoing the ministry’s observation that pay hikes from the spring labor negotiations supported the out‑of‑inflation growth.
