MNI DATA IMPACT: Japan Sep Wages Rise; Real Pay Positive

--Japan Sep Average Wages +0.8% Y/Y; Aug -0.1% 

--Japan Sep Real Average Wages +0.6% Y/Y; 1st Rise in 9 Months; Aug -0.5% 

--Japan Sep Base Wages +0.5% Y/Y, 3rd Straight Rise; Aug +0.1% 

--Japan Sep Overtime Pay 0.0% Y/Y, Aug +0.1% 

--Japan Sep Bonuses, Other Special Pay +14.2% Y/Y, Aug -4.8%

     TOKYO (MNI) - Japan's average wages rose 0.8% year-on-year in September

following a 0.1% fall in August, with real wages now back in positive territory,

preliminary data released Friday by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

showed.

     Here are the key points from the Monthly Labour Survey:

     --Total monthly average cash earnings per regular employee in Japan rose

0.8% year-on-year to Y272,937 in September, the first rise in three months

following a 0.1% fall in August.

     --In real terms, average wages rose 0.6% year-on-year in September, the

first rise in nine months following a 0.5% fall in August. Total CPI minus

impute rents rose 0.3% year-on-year in September, matching August.

     --Base wages, the key to a steady recovery in cash earnings, rose 0.5% in

September from a year earlier, the third straight rise after rising 0.1% the

previous month.

     --Overtime pay was unchanged in September following a 0.1% rise in August.

Bonuses and other special pay rose 14.2% year-on-year in September, for the

first rise in three months following a 4.8% fall in August.

     --The government left its assessment unchanged from the previous month,

saying that wages are increasing moderately.

--MNI Tokyo Bureau; tel: +81 90-2175-0040; email: hiroshi.inoue@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: MAJDS$,M$A$$$,M$J$$$]