Japan carries a reputation as one of the world's richest countries, yet the pay floor for its lowest earners sits strikingly low. The government has lifted the national minimum wage by 5% in each of the past two years, an unusually quick string of increases. Even after all that, the guaranteed hourly rate still trails well behind that of comparable rich economies. Look at fellow G7 members such as France and the gap becomes obvious, since minimum pay there runs far higher. Part of the explanation lies in Japan's long stretch of stagnant wages and the sheer number of people working part-time or on contracts. Sharp rises in food and utility prices have made the squeeze on low earners harder to ignore. There is pressure on policymakers to keep lifting the minimum ahead of inflation so these workers do not slip further behind. Whether Japan can keep the pace going for a third straight year is the question hanging over the next round of negotiations.