Total labor cash earnings in Japan climbed at a faster-than-expected pace in September, a preliminary report from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare showed Monday.
Gross earnings rose 0.6 percent year-over-year to JPY 265,527 in September, following a 0.4 percent increase in August, which was revised down from 0.5 percent.
Economists had expected the same 0.5 percent growth for the month. It was the third consecutive monthly rise.
Contractual earnings went up 0.4 percent annually in September, slightly faster than prior month’s 0.3 percent climb in August. Special cash earnings surged 14.0 percent, much faster than the 1.9 percent increase in the preceding month.
Total real wage grew 0.5 percent in September, exceeding economists’ expectations for a 0.3 percent hike. In August, it had risen only 0.1 percent.
At the same time, total hours worked fell 0.9 percent in September, reversing a 0.3 percent increase in the prior month. Growth in regular employees held steady for the second straight month in September at 2.0 percent.
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