New figures show that Japanese companies, seeking to weather a prolonged economic slump, are cutting back on employee perks.

The monthly total companies paid in fiscal 2000 for fringe benefits not mandated by law dipped 2.3 percent from the previous year to 27,780 yen per worker, according to the Japan Federation of Employers' Associations (Nikkeiren).

Hardest hit were partial corporate allowances for employee housing rents and rents for company housing leased to employees, the federation said Wednesday in an annual survey.

Housing-related benefits fell 4.2 percent, followed by a 1.9 percent drop in cultural programs, sports and recreational activities for employees, it said.

Maintenance of recreational resort facilities, entry fees for sports facilities and monetary gifts presented at weddings or funerals also dropped.

Apart from these benefits, companies are required by law to pay contributions to the state-run medical insurance program and to the state-run nursing-care program for the elderly.

The ratio of optional fringe benefits paid to overall fringe-benefit expenses dropped to 29.8 percent -- the lowest level since fiscal 1956, when the surveys began.

Overall monthly fringe benefits rose 1.1 percent to 93,203 yen. Of the total, legally mandated fringe benefits accounted for 65,423 yen, up 2.6 percent.

The federation attributed the relatively large increase in legally mandated fringe-benefit expenses mainly to the introduction of the state-run nursing-care program for the elderly.

The latest survey covered 1,200 companies affiliated with the federation.

Among them, 672 firms responded.