Wages in Japan rose in February from a year earlier for the first
time in nine months, while overtime pay climbed
for the fifth straight month, partly helped by more working days in the month
than last year, government data
showed on Tuesday. Overtime pay, a barometer
of strength in corporate activity, climbed 3.4 percent in February from a
year earlier, the fastest pace of
growth since the same month last year, the Labour Ministry said.
Average cash
earnings stood at 265,497 yen ($3,200) in February, up 0.7 percent from a
year earlier, following a revised
0.9 percent fall in January.
Total working hours rose
3.0 percent from a year earlier, the highest increase since March 2010. Declines in wages after last year's
earthquake have been gradually stabilising
and analysts expect the economy will recover this year, helped by
reconstruction demand and receding concerns over the global
economy.
(Reuters, Apr 03)
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VOCABULARY
1.
Wages
(n) - money you earn that is paid according to the number of hours, days, or
weeks that you work [↪ salary]
2.
Climbed (v)
- to increase in number, amount, or level
3.
Data
(n) - information or facts
4.
Barometer
(n)- something that shows any changes that are happening in a particular
situation
5.
Pace (n) - the speed at which something happens or
is done
6.
Revised (v)
- to change something because of new information or ideas
7.
Declines (n)
- a decrease in the quality, quantity, or importance of something
8.
Stabilising
(v) - to become firm, steady, or unchanging, or to make something firm or
steady[↪ stable]
9.
Demand
(n) - the need or desire that people have for particular goods and services
10.
Receding (v)
- it gets further and further away until it disappears
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1.
Are you happy about wage increase?
2.
How many times in a year does your salary
increase?
3.
What could be some reasons why company will
increase wages?
4.
How do you feel about overtime pay?
5.
In your opinion, what job should be given higher
salary?
