Overview

• Wakayama’s panel approved a ¥65 increase to ¥1,045 per hour, its first time above ¥1,000, with the start moved to November 1 after contentious talks over size and timing.
• The prefecture’s decision slightly exceeds the central guideline of a ¥63 rise and follows a compromise in which labor accepted a later start and employers accepted a larger hike.
• The Central Minimum Wage Council’s recommendation lifts the weighted national average to ¥1,118, a 6.0% increase that would put every prefecture above ¥1,000 if adopted.
• As of August 22, 21 of 28 prefectures that have set figures opted to go beyond the guideline, with Tottori adding ¥9 on top for a new ¥1,030, reflecting competition for workers across regions.
• Workers welcome higher pay, while many small and mid-sized firms warn of cost pressures and pay-structure revisions, as union leader Tomoko Yoshino praises Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s wage push.