TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese firms agreed to wage increases averaging 5.46 percent in this year's negotiations with labor unions, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation said Friday in a preliminary survey, the second consecutive year for raises to exceed 5 percent.

The average wage hike, 0.18 percentage point higher from last year which saw the sharpest climb since 1991, translates to a 17,828 yen ($120) rise per month, according to the confederation known as Rengo, the largest labor union umbrella organization in Japan.

Labor unions among small and midsize firms experienced ripple effects from increases at larger companies, reporting a rise of 5.09 percent. If the hike lands at 5 percent or above in the final tally, it will be the sharpest growth for these firms since 1992.

"We think this is a good start," said Rengo President Tomoko Yoshino in a press conference. The confederation hopes for an average wage increase for small and midsize firms of at least 6 percent.

"We plan on supporting (small and midsize firms) until the end," she added, as negotiations are slated to go into full swing later.

The data is based on answers from 760 companies as of Friday morning. Among them, 351 unions at small to midsize companies with fewer than 300 members offered wage increases averaging 14,320 yen.

Meanwhile, nonregular workers have been offered a rise of 6.50 percent, or 75.39 yen, in hourly wages, the largest since comparable data became available in 2013.

According to the final tally last year by Rengo, member unions' companies hiked wages by 15,281 yen, up 5.10 percent. Of them, small and midsize firms raised wages by 11,358 yen, up 4.45 percent.