Japan PM Ishiba calls on businesses for big wage rises next year

Petru Mazilu

TOKYO :Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Tuesday that he will ask companies to implement significant wage hikes at next year's labour negotiations, as his government puts pay rises at the top of its public policy priorities. Ishiba, whose fragile coalition government is under pressure to increase spending on welfare and offset rising prices, vowed to push for wage growth at the annual "shunto" negotiations next spring after Japanese companies delivered their biggest pay hike in 33