Nominal wages in March dipped 0.4 percent from a year before to ¥277,512 per worker for the first downturn in 10 months, the government said Tuesday.
Average real, or inflation-adjusted, wages in March also dropped 0.8 percent after rising the previous month, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said in a preliminary report.
The ministry said the wage decreases came on the heels of sharp growth in base pay and special compensation, including bonuses in March last year, adding that a 1.9 percent fall in total work time also weighed on wages.
Average base pay and other scheduled wages — the largest portion of monthly wages — slipped 0.1 percent to ¥240,821, the first decline in 10 months. Unscheduled wages including overtime pay weakened 1.7 percent to ¥19,690.
Bonuses and other special compensation shrank 3.6 percent to ¥17,001, the ministry said.