May 1st marks the celebration of the international labor movement known as May Day. In Osaka, a rally was held where attendees called for the extension of recent substantial wage increases to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well.
The earnings reports from Japan's five major securities firms are in, showing strong performances boosted by the rising stock market.
Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications announced on April 30th that the number of vacant homes across the country has reached 9 million, setting a new record high.
Market insiders estimate that the government and the Bank of Japan (BOJ) might have conducted a forex intervention scaled at 5 trillion yen.
Starting May 1, a new president will take the helm at the company that franchises "Curry House CoCo Ichibanya" in Gunma and eight other prefectures. Remarkably, the appointee is a 22-year-old woman who currently works there as a part-time employee, making this a highly unusual promotion.
A recent study by the Rengo Research Institute, which focuses on labor issues, has revealed that only a little over 6% of workers report their wage increases have exceeded the rate of inflation.