Japanese wages in September declined to an average of 266,364 yen in September, marking the 16th consecutive month of year on year decline, according to data released on Monday by the Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare.
Non-scheduled work hours, an indicator of a healthy economy, also fell by 14.1 percent when compared with a year earlier, according to the
provisional figures released by the ministry.
The decline in wages, however, has shown signs of slowing down in recent months after a record drop of 7 percent in June, since then the decline has edged closer to zero.
Production has improved in recent months in Japan, but this has yet to trickle down and lead to real improvements for average people.
Regular employment also fell last month by 0.1 percent. Full- time employees declined by 0.1 percent, while the number of part- time employees
increased by 1.5 percent when compared with the previous year.
Since the shock waves from the credit crisis that started in the U.S. last summer reached Japan, the situation for the economy has been bad.
Current improvements in the manufacturing sector are yet to reach average people, and thus household spending, key to reinvigorating the economy, has
remained weak.
"Private consumption remained generally weak amid the increasingly severe employment and income situation, although there were signs of a pick-up in durable goods consumption largely owing to the effects of various policy measures," the Bank of Japan said in a report last week, indicating
more difficulties ahead for the nation.