Minimum wage in Japan

Set region by region, no single national rate

Japan has no single national minimum wage. Each of the 47 prefectures has its own, set by the prefectural labour authority on the advice of a council, guided each year by a national recommendation.

There is no single statutory figure to show for Japan.

Checked October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Check the date. Minimum wages change, in many countries every year. The figure above is the one in force at the date shown. Confirm the current amount with the official source below before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal or employment advice.

Who sets it

Each prefecture's minimum wage is decided by the head of the prefectural labour bureau, after a prefectural minimum wages council deliberates. A central council gives an annual guideline to the prefectures.

How it changes

The central council issues its guideline each summer, the prefectural councils then decide their own rates, and the new rates usually take effect in the autumn or later in the year.

Who is covered, and who is treated differently

There are also industry-specific minimum wages in some prefectures, which can be higher than the prefectural minimum.
Rates are stated per hour.

What to watch for

There is no one figure for the country. Find the rate for the prefecture where the work is done.

Understand the legal system first

Japan belongs to the Civil law family. How pay is regulated depends on how the legal system makes and applies labour law.

Read the Japan legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare Japan with another country →

Official sources

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan

Take it further

Employment Offer Letter template $5
A clear offer of work, pay and terms.
Independent Contractor Agreement template $5
Put freelance work and payment in writing.
Labor and Employment Law course $15
Wages, hours, contracts and dismissal.

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TheLawToKnow Tools’s Minimum Wage by Country guide is an educational overview. It is not legal or employment advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.