Finance & economics | 28 years later

After decades of stagnation, wages in Japan are finally rising

But not by enough to satisfy the Bank of Japan

2JGN78N Tokyo, Japan. 11th July, 2022. Office worker dressed in a white shirt walks past a Karaoke parlor in central Tokyo. (Credit Image: © Stanislav Kogiku/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire)
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|Kumamoto

Kasahara yoshihisa, boss of Higo Bank, a lender in Japan’s south, beams with pride as he explains plans to lift wages. The firm’s workers will see a 3% boost, as well as regular increases for seniority. But a sheepish look crosses his face when asked about the last time staff saw such a rise. “Twenty-eight years ago,” he admits.

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “28 years later”

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