TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - Japanese wage earners' total cash earnings edged up 0.3 percent in February from a year earlier, labour ministry data showed, rising for the 12th straight month, although the earthquake and tsunami are certain to hurt jobs and incomes in the coming months.
The ministry said a smaller than usual number of companies in the three prefectures in northeast Japan most severely hit by the March 11 quake and tsunami gave replies, and that may have exaggerated wage growth slightly because incomes are relatively low in the prefectures, which account for about 4 percent of Japan's GDP.
Special payments grew 31.1 percent in February, contributing to overall growth, while overtime pay, a barometer of strength in corporate activity, increased 3.5 percent in February from a year earlier, logging the 14th straight month of rises.
Wage earners' total cash earnings stood at 264,773 yen ($3,194) in February, up 0.3 percent from a year earlier following a revised 0.4 percent rise the previous month.
The number of people employed rose 0.7 percent in February, marking the 13th consecutive month of rises, with the number of general employees up 0.3 percent and that of part-time workers up 1.6 percent.
The following table shows preliminary data for monthly incomes and numbers of workers in February: ----------------------------------------------------------------
FEB FEB JAN Payments (yen) yr/yr change (pct) Total cash earnings 264,773 yen +0.3 +0.4* Monthly wage 261,691 yen -0.1 -0.2* -Regular pay 243,321 yen -0.3 -0.5 -Overtime pay 18,370 yen +3.5 +3.6* -Special payments 3,082 yen +31.1 +12.0* ----------------------------------------------------------------
Number of workers (million) Overall 44.143 mln +0.7 +0.8 -general employees 31.833 mln +0.3 0.0* -part-time employees 12.310 mln +1.6 +2.8* ----------------------------------------------------------------
*denotes a revision from preliminary data.
The ministry defines "workers" as 1) those who are employed for more than one month at a firm that employs more than five people, or 2) those who are employed on a daily basis or have less than a one-month contract but had worked more than 18 days during the two months before the survey was conducted at a firm that employs more than five people.
To view the full tables, see the labour ministry's website at: http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/database/db-l/index.html
($1 = 82.875 Japanese Yen) (Reporting by Rie Ishiguro; Editing by Michael Watson)
Japan Feb wages rise 0.3 pct yr/yr
