Japan's Amari: want to ensure real wages rise this year

TOKYO: Japanese Economics Minister Akira Amari said on Tuesday he wanted to focus on ensuring that real wages start rising this year to help improve growth and pull the economy further from 15 years of deflation.

Amari, speaking to reporters, said this year the government has to show that its reflationary policies and structural reforms are showing results.

Consumer spending and economic growth disappointed last year partly because real wages fell as they failed to keep pace with consumer price gains.