Real wages fall for eighth straight months govt
Wage growth lags surging costpush inflation
Policymakers seek wage growth to support inflation
BOJ action may depend on strength of wage growth analyst

TOKYO, Jan 6 Reuters Japan reported on Friday its worst realwage decline in more than eight years, with November data highlighting the elusiveness of the central bank39;s objective of reinforcing inflation and the economy with sustained rises in workers39; pay.

The 3.8 annual fall in inflationadjusted wages heightens the urgency of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida39;s push for upcoming talks between labour and management to deliver wage hikes that outpace rises in living costs.

Japan wants inflation that is led by demand and higher pay, rather than the current costpush inflation driven by high commodity prices and a weak yen.

Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda has also repeatedly stressed the need for price rises to be accompanied by wage growth.

While looking for that, the central bank is keeping its policy ultraloose.

Regardless of who replaces Kuroda when his term ends in April, wage growth will hold the key to the outlook for monetary policy, said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute.

Adding to the challenge, Friday39;s data showed that annual growth in wages before adjusting for inflation had slowed markedly in November, reflecting slow recovery from COVIDinduced doldrums.

Kishida this week urged firms to implement wage hikes…