Japan firms heed PM's call to boost salaries

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's drive to get Japan economically ship-shape with a mix of easy money and fiscal largesse has born some fruit since its launch two years ago, in the form of soaring stock prices and a falling currency.

But stagnant salaries have been one of the main missing links in the "virtuous circle" of growth that the premier's signature "Abenomics" plan envisages.

With deals from some of Japan's biggest employers announced Wednesday following the annual labour talks -- known as "shunto", or the "spring offensive" -- it appeared the prime minister was at least partially getting his way.

The world's biggest automaker Toyota said it would raise employees' pay by an average of 4,000 yen ($33) a month -- about 1.14 per cent above current pay.

Toyota employees would also get an average bonus worth 6.8 months of their base wage -- a common pay structure in Japan. The firm now expects to book a record 2.13 trillion yen ($18.1 billion) net profit in the fiscal year to March.

Last year the Corolla and Prius hybrid maker gave the first wage rise in six years.

Japan's second-largest automaker Nissan agreed to give an even bigger raise of 5,000 yen a month, and a bonus worth 5.7 months of employees' base wage, the company said.

"We've had thorough discussions on the very difficult challenge of becoming more competitive... while contributing to sustaining a good economic cycle," Toyota managing officer Tatsuro Ueda told reporters.

Major electronics firms, such as Panasonic and Toshiba, agreed to give a unified wage rise of 3,000 yen a month, bigger than last year's 2,000 yen.