TOKYO, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Japan's inflation-adjusted real wages in January climbed 1.4 percent year on year, marking the first gain in 13 months, driven by growth in regular pay and a moderation in consumer price increases, government data showed Monday.

Pedestrians walk on a snow-covered footbridge near Kinshicho station during a snowfall in Tokyo on February 8, 2026. (File photo: AFP)

Nominal wages, or the average monthly cash earnings per worker, including base salary and overtime pay, grew 3.0 percent to 301,314 yen (about 1,900 U.S. dollars), extending gains to the 49th consecutive month, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Regular pay, which mainly comprises base salary, increased 3.0 percent in January, the fastest pace since October 1992, while special pay, including bonuses, rose 3.8 percent.

Consumer prices rose 1.7 percent in January, down from an average increase of 3.7 percent in 2025, helping to push up inflation-adjusted wages, a key gauge of consumer purchasing power. However, an escalating conflict in the Middle East could weigh on price movements in the months ahead.