Wage growth in Japan remains disappointing, with a year-on-year increase of only 2.1%, despite trade union agreements exceeding 5% for two years. High inflation has led to a decline in real wages, reducing disposable income and making sustained inflation from domestic demand unlikely. Consequently, inflation is expected to fall below the Bank of Japan's 2% target, and while interest rate hikes are anticipated, market sentiment currently does not reflect this expectation.