Japan’s household spending rose for a fifth straight month in April but real wages declined, adding to worries about consumption as global trade frictions weigh on broader economic activity. Household spending grew 1.3% from a year earlier, government data showed on Friday, compared with a median market forecast for a 2.6% increase. But separate data showed inflation-adjusted real wages fell 1.1% in April from a year earlier, a bad sign for consumer spending. A pickup in domestic consumption is important for the Bank of Japan to achieve its 2% inflation target. Weak spending has held back many firms from raising ... (full story)