Nissan Motor Co. is considering granting a request from its labor union for a pay-scale hike of ¥3,000 a month and a bonus worth 5.9 months of salary, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The annual wage talks are shifting into full gear, with many companies expected to respond to their labor unions this week.
Nissan turned a record group net profit for the April to December period as robust demand for vehicles overseas, particularly in North America, offset weakness in emerging economies.
The management of major electronics makers including Hitachi Ltd. and their labor unions agreed Saturday on a base pay rise of ¥1,500 a month, half the amount agreed on last year.
Toyota Motor Corp.'s management is considering a pay scale hike of ¥2,000 a month, sources familiar with the matter said earlier. The labor unions of Toyota and other major automakers have demanded ¥3,000 per month.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been calling on companies to consider pay hikes, citing their robust profits made amid the yen's weakness, as wage growth is vital in boosting private consumption.
Still, the yen's recent strength and growing concerns about the global economic outlook have kept corporate executives cautious.
"We will strive to raise (pay) levels for the broader industry and bridge gaps until the end," Yasunobu Aihara, president of the Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers' Unions said at a new conference in Tokyo.