Japan · Salaries
Typical salaries by role in Japan — pay ranges, taxes, and cost-of-living context.
AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.
Japan's minimum wage is set regionally, by prefecture — so the national figure you may see quoted is a weighted average rather than a rate anyone is actually entitled to. Check your own prefecture through the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and note that some industries have separate, higher industry-specific minimums on top. For wage data, the MHLW's Basic Survey on Wage Structure is the official source, and unusually it breaks figures down by age as well as occupation and region.
Japan's minimum wage is set regionally (by prefecture), with a 2026 national weighted average around ¥1,121/hour and the highest in Tokyo; some industries have their own higher minimums. For official wage data, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Basic Survey on Wage Structure is authoritative.
- Minimum wages are set per prefecture (2026 national average ~¥1,121/hour; highest in Tokyo) — check MHLW for your prefecture's rate.
- Some industries have separate, higher industry-specific minimum wages.
- MHLW's Basic Survey on Wage Structure is the official source for wages by occupation, age and region.
- Pay is quoted gross; income/residence tax and social insurance reduce take-home — see this country's tax page.
- 1
Look up your prefecture's rate
Minimum wages are set per prefecture, so the rate that applies to you is a local one. Check MHLW for your prefecture rather than working from a national number.
- 2
Do not rely on the national average
The national figure is a weighted average across prefectures, not an entitlement. Quoting it in a pay discussion gives you a number nobody is actually bound to.
- 3
Check for an industry-specific minimum
Some industries have separate, higher industry-specific minimum wages. Where one covers your work, it sits above the prefectural rate, so check both.
- 4
Use the Basic Survey on Wage Structure
MHLW's Basic Survey on Wage Structure is the official source for wages by occupation, age and region. It answers market questions that the minimum wage cannot.
- 5
Use the age breakdown when benchmarking
The survey breaks wages down by age as well as occupation and region. Since pay progression by age is pronounced here, an age-matched comparison is more informative than an occupation-wide average.
- Prefectural minimum wage looked up
- National average discarded as an entitlement figure
- Industry-specific minimum checked for your sector
- Higher of prefectural and industry rate applied
- Basic Survey figures pulled for your occupation
- Age-matched comparison used for benchmarking
- Take-home estimated after tax and social insurance
- MHLW — Basic Survey on Wage Structure
Official wages by occupation, age and region.
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
National labour authority (minimum wages).
Frequently asked questions
Does Japan have a national minimum wage?
Not as an entitlement. Minimum wages are set per prefecture, and the national figure you may see quoted is a weighted average across them — so it is not a rate anyone is actually bound to. Check your own prefecture through MHLW.
Can my Japanese industry have a higher minimum?
Yes — some industries have separate, higher industry-specific minimum wages. Where one covers your work it sits above the prefectural rate, so check both and apply whichever is higher.
What is the best source for Japanese salary benchmarks?
MHLW's Basic Survey on Wage Structure, which covers wages by occupation, age and region. The age breakdown is the useful extra here, since an age-matched comparison tells you more than an occupation-wide average.
Government portals
- Prime Minister's Office of Japan — Official site of Japan's Prime Minister — cabinet policies, press conferences, policy statements
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan — Japan visa applications, overseas safety info, consular services, and diplomatic policy
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan — Residence status, work visas, permanent residency, and naturalization in Japan
- National Tax Agency (Japan) — Income tax, corporate tax, consumption tax filing and e-Tax online submission