Japan Aug total earnings up, first rise in 9 months

TOKYO, Oct 1 (Reuters) Japanese wage earners' total cash earnings rose in August, logging the first gain in nine months, government data showed on Monday.

Total cash earnings, which include overtime pay, monthly wages and special payments, rose 0.1 percent in August from a year earlier to 283,236 yen ( TOKYO, Oct 1 (Reuters) Japanese wage earners' total cash earnings rose in August, logging the first gain in nine months, government data showed on Monday.

Total cash earnings, which include overtime pay, monthly wages and special payments, rose 0.1 percent in August from a year earlier to 283,236 yen ($2,443), data released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare showed.

Special payments rose 3.3 percent after a revised 5.5 percent decline in July.

Many companies have been reluctant to increase regular pay despite Japan's steady economic recovery as they face tough global competition. Companies have instead raised one-off payments such as summer and winter bonuses.

Average overtime pay, a barometer of income conditions, was up 1.2 percent, after it had posted the first decrease in five years in July.

Regular pay edged down 0.1 percent to 249,338 yen.

In terms of hours worked, overtime rose 0.1 percent from a year earlier to 10.5 hours, the data showed.

The number of full-time employees rose 1.0 percent, while that of part-time workers increased 3.4 percent.

The numbers followed government data released on Friday that showed Japan's jobless rate rose to 3.8 percent in August from a nine-year low of 3.6 percent the previous month.

The following table shows preliminary data for monthly incomes, working hours and numbers of workers in July, with year-on-year percentage changes (some previous figures are revised): --------------------------------------------------------- AUG JULY Payments (yen) yr/yr change(pct) Total cash earnings 283,236 yen +0.1 -1.7 Monthly wage 268,646 yen +0.1 0.0 -Regular pay 249,338 yen -0.1 0.0 -Overtime pay 19,308 yen +1.2 -0.1 -Special payments 14,590 yen +3.3 -5.5 --------------------------------------------------------- Working hours Overall 148.3 hours -0.4 0.0 -Regular 137.8 hours -0.3 +0.1 -Overtime 10.5 hours +0.1 -0.1 --------------------------------------------------------- Number of workers (million) Overall 44.483 mln +1.6 +1.7 -general employees 32.988 mln +1.0 +0.8 -part-time employees 11.495 mln +3.4 +4.3 ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt Note: *indicates price-adjusted.

The ministry defines ''workers'' as 1) those who are employed for more than one month at a firm that employs more than five people, or 2) those who are employed on a daily basis or have less than a one-month contract but had worked more than 18 days during the two months before the survey was conducted at a firm that employs more than five people.

Reuters MP VP0710 ,443), data released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare showed.

Special payments rose 3.3 percent after a revised 5.5 percent decline in July.

Many companies have been reluctant to increase regular pay despite Japan's steady economic recovery as they face tough global competition. Companies have instead raised one-off payments such as summer and winter bonuses.

Average overtime pay, a barometer of income conditions, was up 1.2 percent, after it had posted the first decrease in five years in July.

Regular pay edged down 0.1 percent to 249,338 yen.

In terms of hours worked, overtime rose 0.1 percent from a year earlier to 10.5 hours, the data showed.

The number of full-time employees rose 1.0 percent, while that of part-time workers increased 3.4 percent.

The numbers followed government data released on Friday that showed Japan's jobless rate rose to 3.8 percent in August from a nine-year low of 3.6 percent the previous month.

The following table shows preliminary data for monthly incomes, working hours and numbers of workers in July, with year-on-year percentage changes (some previous figures are revised): --------------------------------------------------------- AUG JULY Payments (yen) yr/yr change(pct) Total cash earnings 283,236 yen +0.1 -1.7 Monthly wage 268,646 yen +0.1 0.0 -Regular pay 249,338 yen -0.1 0.0 -Overtime pay 19,308 yen +1.2 -0.1 -Special payments 14,590 yen +3.3 -5.5 --------------------------------------------------------- Working hours Overall 148.3 hours -0.4 0.0 -Regular 137.8 hours -0.3 +0.1 -Overtime 10.5 hours +0.1 -0.1 --------------------------------------------------------- Number of workers (million) Overall 44.483 mln +1.6 +1.7 -general employees 32.988 mln +1.0 +0.8 -part-time employees 11.495 mln +3.4 +4.3 ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt Note: *indicates price-adjusted.

The ministry defines ''workers'' as 1) those who are employed for more than one month at a firm that employs more than five people, or 2) those who are employed on a daily basis or have less than a one-month contract but had worked more than 18 days during the two months before the survey was conducted at a firm that employs more than five people.

Reuters MP VP0710