Diet members earned an average of 28.71 million yen in 2001, up 4.4 percent from the year before, according to income declarations released Monday by both houses of the Diet.

The declarations cover all income, not just Diet pay.

In 2000, lawmakers earned a record low 27.54 million yen, the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors said, pointing out that the nation's prolonged economic slump kept the average below the 30 million yen line.