Japan's Winter Bonuses Up 3.7 Pct

   Tokyo, Jan. 19 (Jiji Press)--Winter bonuses at major Japanese companies in 2015 grew 3.72 pct from the previous year on average, the labor ministry said Tuesday.
   The weighted average among 337 firms stood at 830,434 yen, up for the third consecutive year, according to a survey that covered firms with capital of at least one billion yen and 1,000 or more employees.
   The average amount rose to the highest level since 2008, when the amount came to 831,813 yen.
   Hikes in basic pay contributed to bonus rises in wide-ranging industries, a ministry official said.
   By sector, winter bonuses rose 14.08 pct in the construction industry on the back of increasing order receipts from manufacturers. The financial, textile and steel sectors also posted robust rises of 12.12 pct, 7.21 pct and 6.32 pct, respectively.

(2016/01/19-22:20)