Labour unions in Japan have secured their highest pay hikes in 30 years, according to the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo. The average monthly pay hike, including rises in pay scales and regular wages, was 3.70% or ¥11,114, up from 2.11%, or ¥6,319, a year earlier. Of the 4,248 labour unions demanding pay increases, 2,290 have concluded their negotiations, with around 60% securing pay scale increases. Larger unions saw the average hike come to 3.74%, while smaller ones with fewer than 300 members saw an average hike of 3.42%. The manufacturing and commercial distribution sectors won average hikes above 4%, while the service and hotel sector saw hikes of 2.95% and 2.51% for the transportation sector amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.