Japan’s Wages Rise for First Time in 22 Months in Abe Boost

Japan’s salaries increased for the first time in almost two years in January as companies boosted pay for part-timers, aiding Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s effort to end 15 years of deflation.

Base pay excluding bonuses and overtime rose 0.1 percent from a year earlier, the first gain in 22 months, the labor ministry said in Tokyo today. Overall pay fell 0.2 percent, the first drop in three months.