Total Worker Compensation Up 1st Time In 9 Months In Jan

TOKYO (Nikkei)--Workers' average total pay, including overtime and bonuses, rose 0.7% on the year to 271,450 yen in January, marking the first increase in nine months, according to a preliminary monthly labor survey released Tuesday by the Labor Ministry.

The rise is linked to a 23.3% increase in special payments, which include bonuses, as some companies paid winter bonuses later than usual. Meanwhile, regularly scheduled payments, which include salaries, fell 0.1% to 240,233 yen, suggesting that salaries have yet to recover. Overtime and related pay dropped 1.5% to 18,419 yen.

The survey covers companies with at least five employees.

(The Nikkei, March 5 evening edition)

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