[Japan] Average minimum hourly wage will rise to 930 yen

On August 13 Japan’s labour ministry announced that minimum hourly wages in fiscal 2021 will increase by ¥28 from the previous year to ¥930 on average, marking the fastest pace of growth, The Japan News reports.

The minimum required hourly wage will top ¥800 in all of Japan’s 47 prefectures for the very first time.

In July the Central Minimum Wages Council - which advises the labour minister - recommended raising minimum wages by ¥28 across the country in fiscal 2021, which started in April.

Seven prefectures will increase minimum wages by over ¥28, the effort is reportedly intended to narrow gaps with others and prevent an outflow of labour.

Shimane will raise minimum wages by ¥32, Akita and Oita by ¥30, and Aomori, Yamagata, Tottori and Saga by ¥29. Five of the seven prefectures had the lowest minimum wage in fiscal 2020.

The new wages will take effect in stages, starting from October 1.

Tokyo will have the highest minimum wage, at ¥1,041. Kochi and Okinawa will each have the lowest, at ¥820. The highest wage is ¥221 higher than the lowest, unchanged from fiscal 2020.

In fiscal 2020, minimum wages rose by only ¥1 on average as a result of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, following steep increases in the previous four years.

Source: The Japan News

On August 13 Japan’s labour ministry announced that minimum hourly wages in fiscal 2021 will increase by ¥28 from the previous year to ¥930 on average, marking the fastest pace of growth, The Japan News reports.

The minimum required hourly wage will top ¥800 in all of Japan’s 47 prefectures for the very first time.

In July the Central Minimum Wages Council - which advises the labour minister - recommended raising minimum wages by ¥28 across the country in fiscal 2021, which started in April.

Seven prefectures will increase minimum wages by over ¥28, the effort is reportedly intended to narrow gaps with others and prevent an outflow of labour.

Shimane will raise minimum wages by ¥32, Akita and Oita by ¥30, and Aomori, Yamagata, Tottori and Saga by ¥29. Five of the seven prefectures had the lowest minimum wage in fiscal 2020.

The new wages will take effect in stages, starting from October 1.

Tokyo will have the highest minimum wage, at ¥1,041. Kochi and Okinawa will each have the lowest, at ¥820. The highest wage is ¥221 higher than the lowest, unchanged from fiscal 2020.

In fiscal 2020, minimum wages rose by only ¥1 on average as a result of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, following steep increases in the previous four years.

Source: The Japan News