Japanese labor unions, armed with new evidence of a long-awaited economic recovery, are seeking wage hikes in their annual "spring offensive" talks that began this week, after years of effectively frozen pay rates. Final responses from management aren't due for another month, but economists widely expect companies to meet union demands, adding to expectations of a steady rise in consumption.
See "Japan Unions Seek Wage Hikes as Economy Recovers", Reuters, The New York Times, February 16, 2006