TOKYO, Jan 9 Reuters Japan39;s inflationadjusted real wages fell for the fourth straight month in November weighed down by higher prices even as base pay grew at the fastest pace in more than three decades, government data showed on Thursday.

The Bank of Japan considers various risks in deciding the timing for raising interest rates and the central bank has repeatedly said sustained, broadbased wage hikes are a prerequisite for pushing up borrowing costs.

Inflationadjusted real wages, a barometer of consumer purchasing power, slipped 0.3 in November from a year earlier, falling for the fourth straight month, data from the labour ministry showed. It revised October39;s unchanged reading to a 0.4 decline.

The consumer inflation rate that the government uses to calculate real wages and includes fresh food prices but not rent or equivalent, rose 3.4 from a year earlier, accelerating from a 2.6 growth in October, reflecting higher inflationary pressure.

Base salary, or regular pay, rose 2.7 in November, marking the fastest increase since 1992, the data showed, after major companies agreed to higher pay at the spring wage negotiations.

Overtime pay, a barometer of business strength, grew 1.6 for the month from a revised 0.7 gain in October. Special payments, mainly volatile oneoff bonuses, climbed 7.9 in November, after a revised 2.2 fall in October.

Total cash earnings, or nominal pay, grew 3.0 to 305,832 yen 1,935.03 for the month, the data showed.

Large Japanese firms…