Spending by Japan's wage-earning households grew in November from the year-before level for the first time in three months, with income increasing for the first time since March 2002, the government said Friday.
Average monthly spending by wage earners' households rose 0.4 percent in real terms, excluding price fluctuations, to 307,084 yen, up for the first time since August, the Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications Ministry said in a preliminary report.
Their average monthly income rose 0.2 percent in real terms to 436,041 yen, posting the first gain in 20 months. Disposable income was up a real 2 percent to 370,843 yen, increasing for the third straight month.