Japan's largest labor union chief, Tomoko Yoshino, has urged the government to step up efforts to raise wages, especially for employees at small firms.

Yoshino stressed the importance of creating an environment that supports wage growth as the country prepares for next year's pay negotiations. She also emphasized the need to revise key legislation to help small businesses cope with increasing costs and called for increased subsidies to address labor shortages, which have been a major issue in the Japanese economy.