As Japan scrambles to fashion an economic recovery, the administration of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga wants to lean on one tool in particular — an increase to the minimum wage. Suga is aiming to achieve an average ¥1,000 hourly wage as soon as possible.
But businesses, especially small and midsize companies, are loudly opposing the move for now, given that just keeping employees in a job is already tough enough amid the coronavirus pandemic.
With a government panel currently holding talks on the issue, attention is gravitating to whether the body will bring back upward momentum to the minimum wage or continue to endorse a negligible raise like last year.