Small and midsize companies in Japan raised monthly wages for full-time employees by 4.29%, or ?12,036, on average in April, the start of fiscal 2026, from a year before, a survey by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry found Monday.
Wage growth expanded from 4.03% a year before, reflecting employers¡¯ continued efforts to secure human resources amid rising inflation, a JCCI official said.
Some small and midsize companies revise wages in summer or autumn.
Wages rose 4.01% in April from March, a metric used to indicate how much small and midsize firms raised wages this spring. Larger companies raised wages by 5.46% this spring, according to the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren.
More than 70% of small and midsize companies said they have raised or plan to raise wages in fiscal 2026. Over 20% said they were undecided, with some of them expressing concerns about soaring prices and shortages of materials due to a prolonged conflict in the Middle East.
The JCCI survey was conducted in April and May, receiving answers from 2,260 companies. Of them, 218 had labor unions.
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