The curtain has fallen on the "shunto" wage hike negotiations that unions have conducted every spring for almost half a century amid the nation's deflationary downturn and fierce international competition.
In addition to refusing to negotiate increases in basic monthly pay, a succession of companies are taking steps to review automatic annual pay raises for their employees based on age and seniority. Such moves effectively amount to a cut in pay.
With the annual union ritual at a historic turning point, attention is set to focus on what will happen to union-management negotiations and the impact of wage reductions on people's lives.