Japan Proposes Record Minimum Pay Hike as Inflation Remains

Japan’s labor ministry proposed a record increase in the minimum wage for the fourth consecutive year, in a bid to support low-income households amid rising prices.

An advisory panel at the ministry called for raising the minimum hourly wage for the current fiscal year by 50 yen, according to a government official on Thursday. The 5% increase exceeds the previous year’s 43 yen, marking the highest jump since the government began setting a target for minimum wages in 1978. This will bring the nation’s average minimum pay to 1,054 yen ($6.90) per hour.

The hike in minimum pay follows ...