Wages Up For 3rd Straight Year In '12

TOKYO (Nikkei)--The average monthly wage grew 0.3% on the year to 297,700 yen in 2012, increasing for the third straight year, said a survey released Thursday by the Labor Ministry.

The income gap between men and women narrowed, with the average salary for men rising 0.2% to 329,000 yen, while that for women expanding 0.5% to 233,100 yen. The gap closed from 96,400 yen last year to 95,900 yen.

The ministry polled companies with 10 or more regular employees, and collected valid responses from 49,230 firms nationwide. The survey looks into basic wages paid in June, excluding overtime pay and payment for those working on holidays. The survey did not cover part-time workers.

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