What Is the Average Salary in Japan 2024?
The average monthly salary in Japan in 2024 is 516,000 JPY (about 3,485 USD). Meanwhile, the median salary stands at 472,000 JPY (about 3,188 USD) as of 2024. The average salary varies significantly by profession, region, education level, gender, and age.
In this article, we are going to examine Japan’s salary landscape. The data is sourced from OECD, Salary Explorer, and Statista.
All figures used in the article are gross salary figures.
Key highlights:
Japan's average monthly salary in 2024 is 516,000 JPY (3,485 USD), with a median salary slightly lower at 472,000 JPY (3,188 USD).
There are notable disparities in salaries across different professions, regions, education levels, genders, and age groups in Japan.
The average salary growth in Japan from 2000 to 2023 was a mere 1.67%, significantly lagging behind many OECD countries when adjusted for purchasing power parity.
Tokyo offers the highest average monthly salary at 576,000 JPY (3,884 USD), while Sendai has the lowest at 467,000 JPY (3,149 USD).
Factors such as academic qualifications and gender significantly influence salary levels in Japan, with males generally earning more than females.
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The average salary in Japan in 2024
The average salary in Japan stands at 516,000 JPY (3,485 USD) in 2024. This amounts to an average annual salary of 6,192,000 JPY (41,838 USD).
Japan adheres to a 40-hour workweek, which means that the average hourly wage in the country is 2,980 JPY (20.1 USD).
However, as in any country, there are significant differences within Japan when it comes to average salary. Here’s a breakdown of different salary ranges and how many Japanese workers fall within each range:
313,000 JPY (2,110 USD) or less: 20% of people in Japan
313,000 JPY (2,110 USD) to 804,000 JPY (5,430 USD): 65% of people in Japan
804,000 JPY (5,430 USD) to 1,030,000 JPY (6,959 USD): 10% of people in Japan
1,030,000 JPY (6,959 USD) or more: 5% of people in Japan
In general, most Japanese people earn a 5-figure salary, at least when talking about USD amounts. There is only a small percentage of people who earn a 6-figure salary.
Between 2000 and 2023, the average salary in Japan barely increased, recording just a 1.67% growth over the two decades. When adjusted for purchasing power parity denominated in the US Dollar, Japan fared considerably worse than many of its OECD counterparts.
Source: OECD
Here’s the complete salary data for each of the countries included in the chart, along with their respective salaries in 2000 and 2023. All figures are adjusted for 2022’s USD purchasing power parity.
2000
2023
Salary Change
Japan
$41,428
$42,118
1.67%
United States
$61,090
$77,226
26.41%
United Kingdom
$46,208
$55,173
19.40%
Canada
$50,631
$63,398
25.22%
Germany
$54,434
$62,473
14.77%
OECD Countries
$47,209
$55,420
17.39%
Source: OECD
Median salary
The median salary in Japan is 472,000 JPY (3,182 USD), which basically means that half of the population earns more than that and the other half less than that.
The median salary is more indicative of an average worker’s take-home pay as it ignores extreme outliers on either side of the spectrum.
Minimum wage
The lowest monthly minimum wage paid in Japan in 2024 is in the Iwate Prefecture region, at 142,880 JPY (965 USD), which amounts to 893 JPY (6.03 USD) per hour. Meanwhile, the region with the highest minimum wage is Tokyo at 192,920 JPY (1,301 USD). The minimum hourly rate of pay in Toyko is 1,113 JPY (7.51 USD).
It’s worth noting that the cost of commuting as well as extra and temporary pay (working on holidays, at night, overtime, bonus, tips, etc.) cannot be used to calculate toward the minimum wage and must be paid separately.
Average salary by city
There are significant differences in average salary between different regions and cities in Japan. Tokyo leads the chart with an average monthly salary of 576,000 JPY (3,884 USD). On the other hand, Sendai is in last place with a salary of 467,000 JPY (3,149 USD).
City
Average Salary
Average Salary (USD)
Fukuoka
528,000 JPY
3,560 USD
Hiroshima
477,000 JPY
3,220 USD
Kawasaki
497,000 JPY
3,351 USD
Kobe
517,000 JPY
3,485 USD
Kyoto
507,000 JPY
3,418 USD
Nagoya
547,000 JPY
3,690 USD
Osaka
557,000 JPY
3,760 USD
Saitama
487,000 JPY
3,280 USD
Sapporo
537,000 JPY
3,621 USD
Sendai
467,000 JPY
3,149 USD
Tokyo
576,000 JPY
3,884 USD
Yokohama
566,000 JPY
3,816 USD
Source: Salary Explorer
Average salary by education and gender
Another important factor that determines the level of pay in Japan is the academic situation and gender. On average, male workers earn over 15% more than their female counterparts who have the same education. The highest-paid individuals are those with a completed graduate degree, who earn nearly double that of senior high school graduates.
Source: Statista
Average salary by profession
The highest-paid professions in Japan include Dentist (1,290,000 JPY/8,697 USD), Chief Executive Officer (1,220,000 JPY/8,225 USD), Chief Financial Officer (1,150,000 JPY/7,753 USD), Attorney (1,080,000JPY/7,281 USD), and Financial Manager (1,050,000 JPY/7,079 USD).
The five lowest-paid professions are Waiter (163,000 JPY/1,099 USD), Receptionist (192,000 JPY/1,294 USD), Customer Service Representative (201,000 JPY/1,355 USD), Nursery Teacher (203,000 JPY/1,369 USD), and Mechanic (203,000 JPY/1,369 USD).
Here’s the full breakdown of average salaries by sector:
Sector
Salary in JPY
Salary in USD
Accounting and Finance
567,444 JPY
3,826 USD
Administration / Reception / Secretarial
311,000 JPY
2,097 USD
Advertising / Graphic Design / Events
432,000 JPY
2,913 USD
Airlines / Aviation / Aerospace / Defense
634,000 JPY
4,274 USD
Architecture
438,000 JPY
2,953 USD
Automotive
290,500 JPY
1,959 USD
Banking
597,000 JPY
4,025 USD
Bilingual
450,000 JPY
3,034 USD
Business Planning
725,333 JPY
4,890 USD
Care Giving and Child Care
213,500 JPY
1,439 USD
Construction / Building / Installation
536,000 JPY
3,614 USD
Customer Service and Call Center
375,333 JPY
2,531 USD
Engineering
498,250 JPY
3,359 USD
Executive and Management
980,000 JPY
6,607 USD
Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering
388,500 JPY
2,619 USD
Health and Medical
780,250 JPY
5,260 USD
Human Resources
568,500 JPY
3,833 USD
Information Technology
559,200 JPY
3,770 USD
Law Enforcement / Security / Fire
313,000 JPY
2,110 USD
Legal
686,500 JPY
4,628 USD
Media / Broadcasting / Arts / Entertainment
626,000 JPY
4,221 USD
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology
572,500 JPY
3,860 USD
Sales Retail and Wholesale
478,667 JPY
3,227 USD
Teaching / Education
395,500 JPY
2,666 USD
Source: Salary Explorer
On average, executives get paid the most, with an average salary of 980,000 JPY (6,607 USD). It’s worth noting that some executives at high-profile firms can earn a 7-figure annual salary. In rare cases, such as Sony’s former CEO Kenichiro Yoshida, executives get paid 8-figures annually.
On the other end, people working in caregiving and child care earn the least, with an average salary of just 213,500 JPY (1,439 USD).
The bottom line
The average annual salary in Japan in 2024 is high compared to most of the world. However, compared to some of the wealthier OECD countries, Japan’s salary situation is not the greatest, especially when considering the high costs of living in bigger cities. That means that the average liquid net worth of Japanese people is relatively low – according to a study cited by the WSJ, just 11% of Japanese households invest in stocks, for example. Compare that to 58% of US households, and the difference is quite stark.
To see where average wages stand in other countries, you can check out our article on average salaries in the Philippines.
If you want to know how to increase your net worth over the long run, check our analysis of the best appreciating assets.
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