Japan's average nominal wages, or total cash earnings, rose 4.7% year on year to 436,401 yen in July, according to data from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on Tuesday.
The latest print surpassed the consensus forecast of 3.9%, according to Trading Economics, and accelerated from the 4.0% rise in June.
It marked the sharpest pace of growth since January 1997, according to Trading Economics.
Special payments, mainly accounting for one-time bonus payments, jumped 6.3% in July to 134,819 yen.
Meanwhile, overtime pay rose 3.1%, softer than the revised 3.4% increase in June.
In real terms, wages rose 2.4% year over year, the fastest pace of increase since May 2021.