Wages failed to rise in October as the job market deteriorated, the government said Monday, signaling consumer spending is unlikely to drive growth in the economy.
Monthly wages, including overtime pay and bonuses, were unchanged from a year earlier, the labor ministry said. Wages have fallen in nine of the past 11 months after sliding about 10 percent in the previous decade.
The unemployment rate has risen since July and job growth has slowed, as companies struggling with higher oil and raw materials prices show reluctance to increase labor costs. Slower spending by consumers, whose outlays account for more than half of the economy, leaves Japan more dependent on overseas demand just as the U.S. housing recession dims the global outlook.