Japan's wages rise for seventh straight month but growth seen as low

Tokyo

REGULAR wages in Japan rose for a seventh consecutive month as the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presses businesses to boost salaries.

Base pay climbed 0.4 per cent in September from a year earlier, the labour ministry said Monday. Overall labour cash earnings, which include overtime and special payments, increased by 0.6 per cent and wages adjusted for inflation advanced 0.5 per cent.