Economy | ANALYSIS
Households to take hit from tax hike
by Tomoko Otake
The consumption tax increase will hit every household in Japan hard, with many people’s financial future hanging on whether their wages rise enough to offset the hike's impact.
Economy Sep 27, 2013
Energy-driven inflation rate puts pressure on Abe to engineer wage hikes
Inflation accelerates to its fastest pace since 2008 on higher energy costs rather than real demand, pressuring Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to lobby harder for wage increases.
Business Sep 27, 2013
LDP readies measures to cushion tax hike
by Ayako Mie
The ruling coalition on Friday agreed on certain parts of a ¥5 trillion stimulus package being readied to ease the impact of the planned sales tax hike, including handouts of up to ¥15,000 for lower income households. The package will be unveiled Tuesday, when ...
Editorial Jul 19, 2013
Low wages hindering recovery
Wage realities suggest that Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda's positive assessment of the economy serves as a political boon for the Abe Cabinet.
Business Jul 3, 2013
Salarymen's allowance falls to 1982 level
The average Japanese husband’s monthly allowance slumped to the lowest level since 1982 at the start of the financial year as workers await the dividends promised by “Abenomics.” Salarymen’s spending money, typically set by wives managing family budgets, was ¥38,457, down 3 percent from ...
Business May 20, 2013
Amari wants wage talks with bigwigs
Economic revitalization minister Akira Amari revealed Sunday that he plans to open talks with national labor and management representatives on how to convince companies to raise wages. Amari said on a TV program that improved corporate earnings resulting from “Abenomics,” the moniker for the ...