TOKYO, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Average cash earnings per worker in Japan rose for the 45th consecutive month in September, but inflation continued to outpace wage growth, resulting in the ninth straight month of decline in real wages, official data showed Thursday.
The total cash earnings, including base pay and overtime, averaged 297,145 yen (about 1,931 U.S. dollars) per person, up 1.9 percent from a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
After adjusting for inflation, real wages fell 1.4 percent year-on-year, extending a persistent downward trend that underscores the squeeze on household purchasing power amid rising prices.
The Japanese government has aimed for about 1-percent annual growth in real wages by fiscal 2029. ■
