0516 GMT - Japan's real wages will likely keep falling in the next few months due to persistent inflation, SMBC Nikko Securities economists say. Government data released Friday showed that wages adjusted for consumer prices excluding imputed rent fell 2.1% in March from a year earlier, vsFebruary's 1.5% drop. The government has begun releasing figures for wages adjusted for overall consumer prices to make international comparisons easier. The common global measure showed a 1.5% on year fall in March. "As food price growth eases and the effects of base pay increases become apparent, real wages are likely to turn positive," SMBC Nikko economists say. They expect the new measure to start rising in the summer.(megumi.fujikawa@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 09, 2025 01:16 ET (05:16 GMT)

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