JAPAN DATA: The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has said it
is excluding wages and working hours data from the three northern
prefecture hit hardest by the March 11 earthquake disaster — Iwate,
Miyagi and Fukushima — from its Monthly Labor Survey for March and
April data (plus May for Miyagi), warning that the total average monthly
cash earnings per regular employee in Japan could show figures that are
higher than what they really are. Wage levels in those provinces tend to
be below the national average. The ministry will release preliminary
March wages data at 1030 JST (0130 GMT) today as scheduled. In February
average wages rose 0.3% year-on-year, posting the 12th straight y/y
gain, but base wages fell 0.4%, showing the second straight y/y drop.