A: Hey there! Got any scoop on the news?
B: Not really, what's up?
A: Well, guess what? Real wages in Japan dropped for the 10th month straight in October!
B: Whoa, that's not good! What happened to the money we earn?
A: Prices are increasing faster than our paychecks. Inflation-adjusted pay dropped by about 0.7% compared to last year.
B: That's rough... I wonder if it'll ever get better.
A: The labor ministry surveyed around 30,000 businesses across Japan and found that we took home an average of 300,141 yen in October, which is a 2.6% increase from last year.
B: Wait, doesn't that sound good?
A: Yeah, but it's the 46th month in a row we've seen an increase! The minimum wage also went up in many parts of Japan for October. Part-time workers saw a 3.3% pay boost, which is the 52nd straight month they've received more money!
B: Wow, that sounds great for them... But still, wages aren't catching up with inflation, right?
A: Exactly! Ministry officials say wages are rising fast, but not quickly enough to keep up with the cost of living.
B: Not really, what's up?
A: Well, guess what? Real wages in Japan dropped for the 10th month straight in October!
B: Whoa, that's not good! What happened to the money we earn?
A: Prices are increasing faster than our paychecks. Inflation-adjusted pay dropped by about 0.7% compared to last year.
B: That's rough... I wonder if it'll ever get better.
A: The labor ministry surveyed around 30,000 businesses across Japan and found that we took home an average of 300,141 yen in October, which is a 2.6% increase from last year.
B: Wait, doesn't that sound good?
A: Yeah, but it's the 46th month in a row we've seen an increase! The minimum wage also went up in many parts of Japan for October. Part-time workers saw a 3.3% pay boost, which is the 52nd straight month they've received more money!
B: Wow, that sounds great for them... But still, wages aren't catching up with inflation, right?
A: Exactly! Ministry officials say wages are rising fast, but not quickly enough to keep up with the cost of living.
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Summary
Real wages in Japan dropped for the 10th consecutive month in October, despite a 2.6% increase in average earnings compared to last year. This is due to faster price increases than wage growth, with inflation-adjusted pay dropping by approximately 0.7%. Part-time workers saw a 3.3% pay boost,
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ID: 95d801e4-3452-4b45-a742-dc1dc5657f50
Category ID: conversation_summary
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20251208_B1/#conversation
Date: Dec. 8, 2025
Created: 2025/12/08 15:40
Updated: 2025/12/08 16:58
Last Read: 2025/12/08 16:58