Boosted by winter bonuses, wages in Japan rose to their highest level in nearly 26 years, Japan’s Labour Ministry has reported.
More firms in Japan are allowing their employees to take on second jobs to foster skills development and gain opportunities for career advancement.
Miki Tsusaka has been named as the new President of Microsoft Japan and will lead key initiatives for Microsoft in Japan.
More organisations in Japan intend to raise wages to keep pace with inflation, including those that had previously done so.
Firms are likely to offer pay hikes of 2.85%, consisting of a 1.08% increase in base salaries and a 1.78% increase in seniority-based pay.
Non-regular workers, self-employed individuals, and freelancers with children may soon be eligible for a child-rearing allowance.
With Japan facing a talent shortage as the population ages, firms are encouraged to do more to support older employees who want to continue working.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida aims to create an economic structure where wages are raised yearly to transfer wealth from firms to households.
A lack of wage growth is Japan’s biggest challenge, notes Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara, and the government is committed to addressing it.
The economy and pandemic resurgence, however, have reportedly led organisations in Japan to be more cautious about hiring.
Verbal abuse was the most common type of customer harassment, followed by scolding, repeated complaints, and intimidation.
There will be more opportunities to hire new graduates next spring as Japan gradually recovers from the pandemic.
The government is also continuing to introduce measures to encourage employers to increase wages for their employees.
In the government’s 2022 whitepaper, it was concluded that remote employees had more sleep hours, which reduces depression and anxiety.
A project has been launched in Japan to encourage men to take the lead in eliminating gender disparities in workplaces.
One in three employees in Japan currently have a side job or have had one in the past, as employers are encouraged to support this practice.
The ageing population, coupled with the recovery of the economy, has caused more than half of 11,000 firms in Japan to experience a labour crunch.
The Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) is looking to end the negative image of mid-career hires by rephrasing commonly used employment terms.
Some companies are providing “inflation allowances” to help employees cope with rising consumer prices as labour officials call for more permanent support.
It identified young employees, workers with children, and non-permanent employees as those who are most vulnerable to inflation.
This comes as employers looked to hire in preparation for a rebound in inbound tourism as the pandemic-related daily arrival cap is removed.
Such digital wallets will have a maximum balance of 1 million yen, and employees can use the funds to make purchases or remittances directly.
Remote employees are able to spend more time with their families, sleep better, and experience less stress from commuting to the office.
Working remotely allows employees to sleep better and feel satisfied if they balance telework and office work appropriately.
As part of efforts to help child-rearing parents, the prefecture of Miyagi plans to grant government workers leave to take care of their grandchildren.
PM Fumio Kishida is asking employers to increase pay to keep up with inflation during wage negotiations next spring.
As of August, 67.51 million people were employed in Japan, of which almost a third are those not in formal employment.
Despite this, the gender wage gap between men and women remains significant, with last year’s average wage for women being about 45% lower than men’s.
The office space, opened on trial till the end of the year, has workstations for three employees and space for up to six dogs at any one time.
The prevalence of remote work is making companies in Japan revamp or revise their employee transfer systems.