Average pay at private companies in Japan reaches record high
Bonuses increased for a second consecutive year, while women and regular employees both recorded 2.6% pay growth in the National Tax Agency survey.
- The average pay for private-sector workers in Japan reached a record high of 4.87 million yen, a 1.9% increase from the previous year and the fifth consecutive annual rise.
- This growth was supported by a second consecutive annual increase in average bonuses, which rose to approximately 750,000 yen.
- Despite the overall record average, the three lowest-paid industries, including accommodation and dining services, experienced a year-on-year decline in wages.
- Both men and women saw their average pay reach record highs, with women's wages growing at a faster rate (2.6%) than men's (1.7%).
Japan’s private-sector wage figures for 2025 show contrasting trends, with a record overall average alongside declines in the three lowest-paid industries.
The National Tax Agency’s survey, released on Tuesday (September 29), put average pay at 4.87 million yen.
That was 1.9% above the previous year’s level and marked the fifth consecutive annual increase.
The results suggest a broader push for wage increases across industries.
Bonuses were another area of growth, with a second consecutive annual rise taking the average to about 750,000 yen.
Private-sector employers paid a combined 247,647.9 billion yen in wages, an annual increase of 2.6%, to 60.8 million wage earners.
Their number was 20,000 higher than in 2024, and income tax withheld totalled 13,126.2 billion yen.
Industry averages ranged from 2.75 million yen for accommodation and dining services at the bottom to 8.54 million yen for electricity, gas and water suppliers at the top.
Between those extremes, finance and insurance occupied second place with 7.25 million yen, while 6.81 million yen put information and communications third.
The next two sectors above accommodation and dining services were medical care and welfare, on 4.24 million yen, and transport and postal services, on 4.82 million yen.
All three of these lowest-paid sectors experienced year-on-year declines.
Women’s pay grew faster than men’s, rising 2.6% compared with 1.7%.
Both groups set records, with averages of 3.42 million yen for women and 5.97 million yen for men.
The breakdown by employment status showed averages of 5.59 million yen for regular staff and 2.1 million yen for non-regular staff, including part-time workers.
These represented annual increases of 2.6% and 1.6%, respectively.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
