Smaller firms in Japan raised wages by 4.29 percent in fiscal 2026, up from 4.03 percent the previous year.
The wage growth reflects employers' continued efforts to secure human resources amid rising inflation. The increase is being tracked as a key indicator for the Japanese economy and jobs market.
Japanese labor unions reported average wage increases of 5.01 percent in 2026 spring negotiations, marking the third consecutive year above 5 percent.
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The weighted average summer bonus at major Japanese firms rose 1.88 percent from a year earlier to 1,008,706 yen, topping 1 million yen for the first time.