Monthly "okozukai," or pocket money from the household budget, for husbands increased by 3,764 yen from a year earlier to an average of 36,835 yen. After remaining stagnant in recent years, the allowance jumped to its second-highest level since the survey began in 2018, falling just short of 37,774 yen in 2019.

The increase comes largely on the back of wage hikes, but also in response to higher living costs, according to the online survey conducted in March by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co., with responses from 1,620 married men and women in their 20s to 70s.

Questions about pocket money in the household budget survey were limited to male respondents in their 20s to 50s. Among those who saw a rise, 58.2 percent cited an increase in income as the reason, followed by the impact of rising prices (29.9 percent), and promotion at work (19.4 percent).

The increase of over 10 percent exceeds the 5 percent or more wage hike targeted by unions during the "shunto" wage negotiations in March and is significantly higher than the 1.6 percent year-on-year rise in consumer prices, excluding fresh food, for February, announced by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

A senior economist at Meiji Yasuda described the increase as remarkable and said the survey shows that wage hikes are finally reaching husbands’ wallets, which in turn could boost the economy.

The survey also reported an increase in average household savings by 2.8 million yen from the previous year to a record high of 18.5 million yen, largely on the back of higher incomes.

Meiji Yasuda said the survey shows a trend of householders using their increased income to supplement budgets for living expenses or to put it into savings and investments, amid concerns over the cost of living.

In Japan, the management of household finances, including monthly allowances, is often handled by wives and female partners.

According to a 2022 survey by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research -- with responses from over 9,600 households -- in 62.3 percent of married households, wives were the primary decision-makers regarding finances.

Earlier editions of the survey on families in Japan, conducted every five years, show the trend in decline, however, with a slight increase in couples making joint decisions about finances.

The scope of a partner’s allowance varies but often covers money for lunch during work and for socializing with friends. In some households, it is also expected to cover living expenses like mobile phone bills.

KPL