News On Japan

Average Salaries in Japan Hit Record 4.78 Million Yen but Inflation Erases Gains

TOKYO, Sep 26 (News On Japan) - Japan's National Tax Agency announced on Friday that the average annual salary for private-sector employees in 2023 rose to 4.78 million yen, the highest level since the survey began, marking the fourth consecutive year of increases.

The figure represents an 180,000 yen rise from the previous year, but many workers say they have yet to feel the benefits as inflation continues to outpace wage growth.

In central Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, Odakyu Department Store held a one-day event offering a 10% discount on fresh foods such as domestic wagyu beef and seasonal Pacific saury from Hokkaido. The sale drew large crowds of shoppers eager to stretch their household budgets. “That 10% off really helps, especially when everything is so expensive,” said a woman in her 70s. Another shopper in her 50s said, “I ended up buying mostly fish today, including tuna. It was a bargain.”

On the streets, many voiced frustration that rising salaries are insufficient to offset higher costs of living. “Even though my annual income is going up each year, the level of comfort in daily life hasn’t really changed,” said a man in his 30s. A woman in her 40s noted, “I feel the pay raises are just not enough to match price increases. I’ve stopped buying expensive meat.” Others said they now rely on discounted products at supermarkets or cut back on dining out in favor of cooking at home.

Estimates suggest that households face an additional annual burden of roughly 87,000 yen due to higher prices. While the government highlights wage increases as a sign of progress, everyday consumers say their purchasing power remains under strain. One parent in their 40s expressed concern: “With children growing up, I want life to be easier and for them not to struggle. If things keep going this way, I really worry about the future.”

Source: TBS

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

A bombshell report has surfaced in Kanagawa Prefecture, the political base of Shinjiro Koizumi, where as many as 826 members of the Liberal Democratic Party aligned with the Takaichi faction were treated as having resigned from the party without their consent, according to an investigation by the weekly magazine Bunshun.

Osaka City decided on September 30th to suspend new applications for so-called special zone minpaku, a category of private lodging that has seen a sharp rise in disputes with local residents.

North Safari Sapporo, a private zoo in the southern district of Sapporo, closed its doors on September 30th after 20 years of operation, leaving around 300 animals including lions and wolves without a confirmed relocation plan.

Tokyo is expected to record a high of 22°C on October 1st, marking the first time in 112 days since June 11th that the temperature has fallen below 25°C, with rainfall cooling the air and bringing an end to the long stretch of summer-like days.

Photos of cult founder Shoko Asahara, whose real name was Chizuo Matsumoto and who was executed for his role in the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack, are being displayed alongside childhood pictures of his son in facilities linked to Aleph, the successor group to Aum Shinrikyo, according to findings by the Public Security Intelligence Agency (PSIA).

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Business NEWS

The wave of price increases continued into October, with more than 3,000 items, including beverages and food, set to rise in price, leaving supermarkets and retailers grappling with how to respond.

From October, Japan’s minimum wage will rise across the country to exceed 1,000 yen for the first time, a development welcomed by workers but one that is expected to squeeze retailers such as discount supermarkets where higher personnel costs could lead to losses.

NTT, which had previously announced plans to gradually phase out fixed-line metal cables over the next decade, said at a briefing on September 30th that it will raise basic charges from next fiscal year to temporarily maintain the service.

Office rents in Osaka are rising at the fastest pace in the world, driven by a wave of new developments in Umeda such as the recently opened Grand Green Osaka, which has brought fresh momentum to the city’s commercial real estate market.

Asahi Group Holdings said on September 29th that a cyberattack had caused a major system failure which has yet to be restored and shows no signs of resolution, with the impact now spreading across its operations even as the company stressed that no leaks of personal information or customer data have been confirmed.

FamilyMart has put Shohei Ohtani at the center of its latest push, casting the global baseball star in a nationwide TV campaign tied to a revamped onigiri line. During a two-hour shoot in Los Angeles in December, Ohtani—whom President Kensuke Hosomi describes as soft-spoken and “sun-bright”—sampled 19 rice balls and even asked to take the leftovers home.

A toy trade fair was held in Osaka ahead of the year-end shopping season, bringing together 84 manufacturers from Japan and abroad who showcased products ranging from educational toys to collectibles.

A 24-year-old entrepreneur is drawing attention with a new business model that relies on goats to provide weed control, a service that could also help sustain life in depopulated communities.