Japan's Hourly Wages Up 12% In 10 Years

A Nikkei analysis of government surveys from the past 10 years reveals the changes taking place in Japan's labor market and what it could mean for the country's future, the newspaper reported.

Photo Insert: Experts say most of this growth comes from a decline in the average number of hours worked.

Measured on an hourly basis, Japan's wages and productivity have risen over the past decade but these should be gleaned from the structural changes affecting the workplace, with automation replacing living labor and contractualization reducing labor costs.

Experts say most of this growth comes from a decline in the average number of hours worked, which indicates employers are rationalizing their operations and relying more on outsourcing or engaging contractual workers and delivery workers.

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