【 Latest 】 What is the minimum wage in Tokyo? Explanation of changes to date and comparison by prefecture.
In Japan, minimum wages are set by law, so it is important to make sure that your wage is above the minimum wage. In particular, the minimum wage in Tokyo is the highest in Japan. The minimum hourly wage in Tokyo was set at 1,113 yen in the October 2023 revision.
This article details the latest minimum wage amount in Tokyo, recent trends, and comparisons with other prefectures.
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Minimum Wage in Tokyo
In Japan, each prefecture has its own minimum hourly wage, and the minimum hourly wage in Tokyo, revised in 2023, is 1,113 yen. Of course, this applies to foreigners as well, so you should check if the hourly wage you are receiving is 1,113 yen or more, and if it is less than that, you can ask your employer to improve it.
The minimum wage in Tokyo and the rest of Japan has been increasing all the time in recent years. In the 2023 revision, the minimum wage in Tokyo was revised to 1,113 yen, up 72 yen, against the backdrop of soaring prices and other factors.
Minimum Wage (Hourly Wage) in Tokyo
| counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system) | Minimum wage (hourly) |
| Year 2023 | 1,113 yen |
| Year 2022 | 1,072 yen |
| Year 2021 | 1,041 yen |
| Year 2020 | 1,013 yen |
| 2019 | 1,013 yen |
| 2018 | 985 yen |
| 2017 | 958 yen |
| 2016 | 932 yen |
| 2015 | 907 yen |
| 2014 | 888 yen |
Comparison of minimum wages between Tokyo and other prefectures
The minimum wage in Japan is determined by prefecture, and each prefecture has a different amount; as of October 2023, the minimum wages in major other prefectures are shown in the table below, including 1,064 yen in Osaka Prefecture and 1,027 yen in Aichi Prefecture.
The more populated prefectures have higher minimum wages, with Tokyo having the highest among all prefectures. This is because prices tend to be higher in more populated areas.
Areas with lower minimum wages include the Tohoku region (except Miyagi), Kyushu (except Fukuoka), Shikoku, and Okinawa, where the minimum wage is around 900 yen. If you plan to live outside of Tokyo, check the minimum wage for that prefecture.
Minimum wage in Tokyo and other major prefectures
| administrative divisions of Japan: Tokyo-to, Hokkai-do, Osaka-fu and Kyoto-fu | minimum wage |
|---|---|
| Tokyo Metropolitan area | 1,113 yen |
| Hokkaido | 960 yen |
| Aomori prefecture (Tohoku area) | 898 yen |
| Miyagi prefecture (Tohoku area) | 923 yen |
| Kanagawa prefecture (Kantou area) | 1,112 yen |
| Yamanashi prefecture (Chuubu area) | 938 yen |
| Niigata prefecture (Hokuriku area) | 931 yen |
| Aichi prefecture (Chuubu area) | 1,027 yen |
| Osaka (metropolitan area) | 1,064 yen |
| Kyoto (metropolitan area) | 1,008 yen |
| Hyogo prefecture (Kinki area) (Hyougo) | 1,001 yen |
| Hiroshima prefecture (Chuugoku area) | 970 yen |
| Kagawa prefecture (Shikoku) | 918 yen |
| Fukuoka prefecture (Kyushu) | 941 yen |
| Oita prefecture (Kyushu) | 899 yen |
| Okinawa prefecture (including Okinawa island) | 896 yen |
Japan's minimum wage system is explained in detail in the following article.
▶︎ How much is the minimum wage in Japan? Does it apply to foreigners? How to check and the differences between prefectures are explained.
How do I make sure my current wage meets the minimum wage?
Foreign residents working in Tokyo may be concerned about whether their wages are properly above the Tokyo minimum wage. Here we explain how to check your own minimum wage.
Hourly rate
The minimum wage is determined by the hourly wage, so if you are working part-time, you can compare your hourly wage with the minimum wage in Tokyo.
Daily wage
If you are paid on a daily basis, divide the wage by the hours you work and convert it to an hourly rate before comparing the two. For example, if you are paid 12,000 yen for 8 hours of work, the wage per hour is 12,000 yen divided by 8 = 1,500 yen. This is OK because it is above Tokyo's minimum wage of 1,113 yen.
Monthly salary
As with daily wages, monthly wages are converted to an hourly wage. For example, suppose you work 8 hours a day for 22 days and receive 250,000 yen. Then the wage per hour would be 250,000 yen ÷ 22 ÷ 8 = 1,420 yen. This is OK because it is higher than the Tokyo minimum wage of 1,113 yen.
What is the average income in Tokyo?
The average annual income of Tokyo residents was 4.55 million yen in 2023. By gender, men and women had the top average annual incomes in Japan, at 5.14 million yen and 4 million yen, respectively.
The average annual salary tends to be higher in prefectures with larger populations: over 4 million yen is earned in Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Ibaraki, Tochigi, and Aichi prefectures, all of which have large populations. The average annual salary is lower in Hokkaido/Tohoku and Kyushu/Okinawa, where it ranges from 3.4 to 3.8 million yen.
However, areas with lower annual incomes also tend to have lower prices, so a lower average annual income does not necessarily mean that life is poorer than in other prefectures.
| administrative divisions of Japan: Tokyo-to, Hokkai-do, Osaka-fu and Kyoto-fu | average annual income |
|---|---|
| Tokyo Metropolitan area | 4.55 million yen |
| Hokkaido | 3.76 million yen |
| Aomori prefecture (Tohoku area) | 3.69 million yen |
| Miyagi prefecture (Tohoku area) | 3.75 million yen |
| Kanagawa prefecture (Kantou area) | 4.35 million yen |
| Yamanashi prefecture (Chuubu area) | 3.84 million yen |
| Niigata prefecture (Hokuriku area) | 3.63 million yen |
| Aichi prefecture (Chuubu area) | 4,070,000 yen |
| Osaka (metropolitan area) | 3.97 million yen |
| Kyoto (metropolitan area) | 3.89 million yen |
| Hyogo prefecture (Kinki area) (Hyougo) | 4.04 million yen |
| Hiroshima prefecture (Chuugoku area) | 3.89 million yen |
| Kagawa prefecture (Shikoku) | 3.79 million yen |
| Fukuoka prefecture (Kyushu) | 3.79 million yen |
| Oita prefecture (Kyushu) | 3.76 million yen |
| Okinawa prefecture (including Okinawa island) | 3.47 million yen |
If you are interested in learning more about the average annual income of Japanese working in Tokyo, check out this article.
▶︎【 Latest 】 What is the average annual salary of Japanese working in Tokyo? Average wage of foreigners is also explained.
What is the average income of foreigners?
According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the average monthly income of foreigners in 2023 will be 232,600 yen. Of course, this is an average of people from various occupations put together, so there will be many people earning more, and some earning less.
By status of residence, the average monthly wage for specified technical skills and technical intern training is slightly lower at approximately 170,000 yen. However, the law stipulates that foreigners must not be paid less than Japanese nationals just because they are foreigners, so there is no such thing as being forced to work for an unfairly low wage, and if there is, the employer is responsible.
The highest amount for "professional/technical fields (excluding specified skills)" was 296,700 yen, followed by "specified skills" at 198,000 yen, and the lowest was "technical training" at 181,700 yen.
Source:Wages by Status of Residence Category｜Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
If you are interested in learning more about the average annual income of foreigners living in Japan, check out this article.
▶︎【 Latest 】 What is the average annual income of foreigners living in Japan? The average annual income of Japanese by genre is also explained!
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summary
As of 2021, the minimum wage in Tokyo is 1,041 yen, and the same amount applies to foreigners. The amount changes every year, so check the new minimum wage in 2022. Revisions are made around October each year, so the next revision is expected around October 2022.
It is important to check if your wages are above the minimum wage. Please check using the respective calculation methods for hourly, daily, and monthly wages. If you are below the minimum wage, consult your company immediately.
The average annual salary in Tokyo is one of the highest in Japan, but the cost of living is also high, so it is necessary to consider the balance of expenses as well as income. On the other hand, the average monthly salary for foreigners varies depending on the type of job. When working in Japan, we recommend that you research the market rate for your type of work.
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