Average income 5.56 million Yen in 2007

The nation's average annual household income slid to 5.562 million yen in 2007, down 106,000 yen from a year earlier, as retirements increased among the aging population, a labor ministry survey found.

The average is 1.08 million yen less than for 1994, when a record 6.642 million yen in average income was reported.

Households with incomes below the national average accounted for 60 percent in 2007. In addition, 18.5 percent of households brought in less than 2 million yen.

The survey, released Thursday, was conducted last summer and received valid responses from 6,300 of roughly 9,100 households surveyed nationwide. (IHT/Asahi: May 23,2009)