Kishida Pledges $3.5 Billion for Digital Job Training: NHK

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government will spend 400 billion yen ($3.5 billion) over the next three years to help workers learn new skills in an era of digitalization, public broadcaster NHK reported. 

The measure is part of Kishida’s efforts to raise wages. Kishida, who became the premier last month, has pledged to increase the pay scale of certain public workers such as nurses and caregivers for kids and senior citizens, and to increase tax benefits for companies that raise salaries.

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His administration is considering rewarding companies that increase base wages instead of giving one-off bonuses so that the tax incentive would generate a sustainable income boost, Kyodo News reported on Friday. 

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