Uniqlo-owner Fast Retailing just gave the Japanese business world a jolt.
日前,优衣库的母公司迅销集团在日本商界引起了不小的震动。
On Wednesday it said it would raise wages by up to 40%.
迅销集团于周三宣布,将会把员工的工资提高40%。
Analysts say that's a clear sign that Japan's rock-bottom salaries are starting to budge after decades of deflation and cost-cutting.
分析人士表示,这是一个明显的迹象,表明在经历了数十年的通货紧缩和成本削减后,日本的最低工资水平开始有所提高。
The move is likely to heighten the focus on pay ahead of annual spring labor negotiations.
此举可能会在每年春季的劳资谈判之前加强对工人薪酬的关注。
Though it's unclear whether other big firms are about to follow suit.
不过目前还不清楚其他大企业是否会效仿。
The poor state of pay has become a political issue in the world's third largest economy.
在日本这个世界第三大经济体,糟糕的薪酬状况已经成为了一个政治问题。
Japan's average annual wage stood at just under $40,000 in 2021.
2021年,日本的平均年薪为不到4万美元。
That's well below the OECD average of over $51,000. It's also little changed from the early 1990s.
这要远低于经合组织的超过5.1万美元的平均水平。与20世纪90年代初相比,也几乎没有变化。
Fast Retailing says it's the first time in at least 20 years that it's revised pay right across the group.
迅销集团称,这是将近20年来,他们首次在整个集团范围内调整薪酬。
The firm says the move is intended to make its pay and working style more globally competitive.
该公司表示,此举旨在使其薪酬和工作方式更具全球竞争力。
Analysts say it's probably also driven by inflation and the problems caused by Japan's shrinking labor pool.
分析人士称,这一举措也可能是由通货膨胀和日本劳动力萎缩造成的问题所推动的。
Among the country's other big firms, drinks maker Suntory says it's looking at wage increases of more than 6%.
日本其他的大型企业,如饮料制造商三得利,表示他们的工资涨幅将超过6%。
Honda Motor has said it wants to tackle pay increases "aggressively".
而本田汽车方面则表示,希望“积极”解决加薪问题。