TOKYO, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Japanese wage earners' total cash

earnings fell 1.4 percent in December from a year earlier and

the average monthly earnings hit a record low last year,

government data showed on Thursday, showing employers remained

cautious as the economy slipped into recession.

Special payments, predominantly winter bonuses, dropped 2.5

percent last month from a year earlier. Workers are usually

given bonuses twice a year, in the summer and December.

Overtime pay, a barometer of strength in corporate activity,

slipped 0.1 percent in December from a year earlier, falling for

three months in a row, the labour ministry said.

For 2012, monthly cash earnings averaged 314,236 yen

($3,500), the lowest level since comparable data became

available in 1990 and falling 0.6 percent from the previous

year. It was the second straight year of declines.

The weak global economy and deterioration in business

performance after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami seemed

to have hit average monthly cash earnings last year, according

to the ministry.

The economy is expected to exit a shallow recession early

this year, helped by a rebound in the global economy and

government stimulus, but the recovery is likely to be fragile.

The following table shows preliminary data for monthly

incomes and numbers of workers in December:

----------------------------------------------------------------

DEC DEC NOV

Payments (yen) yr/yr change (pct)

Total cash earnings 542,075 yen -1.4 -0.8*

Monthly wage 262,171 yen -0.3 -0.3*

-Regular pay 242,854 yen -0.2 -0.1*

-Overtime pay 19,317 yen -0.1 -1.3

-Special payments 279,904 yen -2.5 -9.2*

----------------------------------------------------------------

Number of workers (million)

Overall 45.933 mln +0.7 +0.6

-general employees 32.576 mln +0.1 -0.1*

-part-time employees 13.358 mln +2.0 +2.3*

----------------------------------------------------------------

*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 = 90.6500 Japanese yen)

(Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Kim Coghill)

Keywords: JAPAN ECONOMY/WAGES

(kaori.kaneko@thomsonreuters.com)(Reuters Messaging:)(kaori.kaneko.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)(+81-3-6 441-1983)

COPYRIGHT

Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. All rights reserved.

The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.