2025 Summer Bonus Survey - Total Payments Decline While Per Capita Average Rises for Third Consecutive Year (San'in Region)

Overview

This is a survey report published by San'in Godo Bank on "2025 Summer Bonus Survey - Total Payments Decline While Per Capita Average Rises for Third Consecutive Year (San'in Region)." The report analyzes summer bonus trends in the San'in region (Shimane and Tottori Prefectures), revealing the complex situation of decreasing total payments despite increasing individual payment amounts. ## Key Points ### 1. Survey Overview - **Survey Organization**: San'in Godo Bank - **Publication Date**: June 30, 2025 - **Survey Region**: San'in Region (Shimane and Tottori Prefectures) - **Survey Items**: Summer bonus payment trends - **Survey Method**: Corporate questionnaires and estimates ### 2. Dual Nature of Survey Results - **Total Payments**: Declined year-on-year - First decline in total amount in several years - Concerns about impact on overall regional economy - **Per Capita Average Payment**: Exceeded previous year for third consecutive year - Individual-level increases continue - Wage increase trend maintained ### 3. Background Analysis of This Phenomenon - **Factors for Total Decline**: - Decrease in number of payment recipients (population decline/aging) - Reduction in number of companies - Increase in part-time and non-regular employees - **Factors for Individual Payment Increase**: - Treatment improvements due to labor shortage - Effects of spring wage negotiations - Response to price inflation ### 4. Impact on Regional Economy - **Positive Aspects**: - Supporting effect on personal consumption - Maintaining employee motivation - Improving competitiveness for talent acquisition - **Negative Aspects**: - Decline in overall regional purchasing power - Concerns about economic circulation shrinkage - Anxiety about the future ### 5. Industry-Specific Trends (Estimated) - **Strong Industries**: - Tourism/Hospitality (inbound recovery) - Construction (public works demand) - Healthcare/Welfare (stable demand) - **Struggling Industries**: - Retail (intensifying competition) - Manufacturing (rising costs) ### 6. Public-Private Sector Comparison Perspective - **Public Servants**: Stable payments based on National Personnel Authority recommendations - **Private Companies**: Performance-linked with potential for widening disparities - **Regional Characteristics**: Features of San'in region with high public servant ratio ### 7. Comparison with Previous Year's Performance - **2024 Summer Performance**: - Public-private average: 439,000 yen - 3.4% increase year-on-year (high growth rate) - **2025 Changes**: - Individual payments continue to increase but growth rate may slow - New phase with total amount decline ### 8. Corporate Bonus Policies - **Talent Acquisition Strategy**: - Securing and retaining excellent talent - Preventing talent outflow to other regions - Promoting local retention of young people - **Balance with Management**: - Ensuring profitability - Sustainable wage levels - Need for productivity improvement ### 9. Future Outlook - **Short-term Prospects**: - Continued wage increase pressure due to labor shortage - Need to respond to price inflation - Balance challenges with corporate profits - **Medium to Long-term Challenges**: - Response to population decline - Regional economic revitalization - Securing resources through productivity improvement ### 10. Policy Implications and Regional Suggestions The survey results starkly reveal the structural challenges facing the San'in region. The decline in total payments reflects the fundamental regional problems of population decline and reduction in company numbers, while the increase in per capita payments indicates the need for stronger investment in remaining human resources. This duality suggests that regional economic policy requires a comprehensive approach beyond mere wage increase support, including population retention measures, corporate attraction, and productivity improvement support. In particular, reversing the declining trend in total payments through local retention of young people and promotion of U/I-turn migration is crucial for the sustainability of the regional economy.