Japan auto giants to give workers a bonus boost thanks to weaker yen

TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's top automakers are set to give tens of thousands of employees an annual bonus bump as a weaker yen helped their bottom line while Tokyo presses firms to hike staff pay to lift the economy.

Toyota, Japan's biggest car firm, said on Wednesday it would accept union demands for a richer bonus with the Camry-maker agreeing to inflate the annual payment by about 10 per cent to an average 2.05 million yen (S$26,600).

The bonus, which is in addition to workers' regular salaries, would be made to both factory employees and while-collar staff, said Toyota, which is also the world's largest vehicle producer.

It would reportedly be Toyota's biggest bonus in five years.