Base-up share falls at big firms to 79.3%; MHLW vows tough line on sham-illness jobless claims
MHLW's wage survey shows 57.9% of firms gave a base-up, but the rate fell about 6 points at firms with 1,000 or more staff. November is also supply-chain burden-shifting month.
Detail from MHLW's 2026 wage survey: 79.3% of firms with 5,000 or more staff gave a base-up (down 5.9 points), 73.5% at 1,000 to 4,999 (down 5.7) and 52.7% at 100 to 299. At 300 to 999 it rose 6.3 points to 69.6%. Unionised firms: 83.9%; non-union: 48.8%.
Why it matters: The headline 57.9% hides a split by size. If you are mid-sized, the market is moving towards base-up; benchmark your 2027 offer by size and union status, not the national average.
Minister Ken'ichiro Ueno said on 16 October that the ministry will deal firmly with people who feign a mental illness to quit and claim more unemployment benefit. Rodo Shimbun reports that consumer consultations about paid 'application support' services, which steer people to chosen clinics, are rising.
Why it matters: Expect more scrutiny of illness-related separation certificates. Keep HR records of resignations accurate and consistent, and be wary of employees citing outside 'support' services.
MHLW, the SME Agency and the Fair Trade Commission are running a campaign this month against 'shiwayose', where large clients push costs onto smaller partners through short-notice orders, sudden spec changes, tight deadlines and long driver waiting times. Labour bureaux will visit firms likely to cause it.
Why it matters: If you commission work from smaller firms, review lead times, last-minute changes and cost sharing now, since labour bureau visits are targeted at buyers as well as at suppliers.
From 90 applicants, MHLW picked five Grand Prize winners (Osaka Gas, Sasaki, Phone Appli, Panasonic Automotive Systems, Chikamatsu Shokai) and ten Innovation Award winners, among them JAL, NEC and P&G Japan. They will be honoured on 26 November in Tokyo.
Why it matters: The list shows which employers the ministry holds up as models for supporting self-directed careers; useful as a benchmark if you are redesigning career or reskilling programmes.
Compiled each weekday morning with AI assistance from the reports linked under each story; summaries are ours, the reporting is theirs. Check the source before acting on anything here. Corrections: editor@hardestmarket.com.
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