Labor-management negotiations for this winter's bonuses at major companies settled on a weighted average of 802,481 yen, up 1.61 percent in the first year-on-year increase in three years, according to a report released Wednesday by the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren).
The increase reflects the first rise, of 3.89 percent, in two years in winter bonus payments by manufacturers as a result of stepped-up operational restructuring.
However, labor and management at nonmanufacturers agreed to cut bonuses by 2.98 percent, signaling a fifth consecutive yearly drop.
Among manufacturers, bonuses average 705,101 yen at electrical equipment makers, up 8.11 percent, and 919,671 yen at automakers, up 4.76 percent.
Nippon Keidanren, Japan's most powerful business lobby, surveyed labor-management accords on bonus payments for this winter at 293 companies in 22 industrial sectors that are listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange or have more than 500 workers. The report covers 216 companies where average bonus amounts were available.