More than two-thirds of Japan’s prefectures that have set new minimum wage levels for fiscal 2025 are raising pay beyond the government’s guideline, reflecting concerns over losing workers to neighboring regions and big cities.
According to a Kyodo News tally as of Thursday, 21 of 28 prefectures decided on hikes exceeding the national average benchmark of ¥63 an hour. The steepest increase came in Tottori, where the rate will rise by ¥72 to ¥1,030.
Discussions are still ongoing in parts of Tohoku and Kyushu, where labor and management remain far apart. Final figures for all 47 prefectures are expected in early September. The central government has said it will provide financial support to localities that set higher-than-guideline wages, which could spur more upward revisions.
Japan’s minimum wage is set through a two-step process: the national council under the labor ministry issues a guideline, then prefectural panels decide actual levels. This year, the council recommended a record ¥63 nationwide average increase, with poorer regions such as Akita, Tottori, and Kumamoto given a slightly higher target of ¥64. Urban areas were guided to raise wages by ¥63.
by MagazineKey4532