Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday called for pay hikes through negotiations between management and labor unions next spring, making such a request for the fifth straight year in a bid to inject fresh momentum into wage growth.
"I hope to see wages raised by 3 percent in next spring's wage talks," Abe said at a government panel meeting at his office. It's rare for the prime minister to refer to a specific number on the matter.
Abe also said the government will take "all possible measures," such as taxation and regulatory reform, to lay the groundwork for companies to spend more of their record profits on wages and capital investment.