Average monthly cash earnings per regular employee fell by 0.7 percent in April to 278,193 yen (2,287 dollars) after a 0.1 percent drop in March, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare reported.

The drop reflected an increase in the number of lower-paid part-time workers and the entry of graduates into the workforce at the start of the new business year, analysts said.

The number of regular employees rose 1.6 percent, with part-timers up 3.6 percent and full-time workers up 0.8 percent.

The Japanese government reported Tuesday that unemployment fell to 3.8 percent in April, the lowest level since March 1998.