Panasonic to give China expats \\\'pollution pay\\\'

Japanese electronics giant Panasonic said Thursday it would give employees sent to China a wage premium to account for the country's hazardous air pollution, in a possible first for an international company. The move was part of a wider deal reached in Japan's annual labour talks which saw major firms, including Panasonic and Toyota, agree to boost workers' salaries for the first time in years, amid concerns about an economic slowdown after a sales tax rise next month. A Panasonic spokesman declined to give details about the premium, or say how many expatriate workers it employs in China, which has extensive trade and business links with Japan, according to AFP.