How much does a practical nurse make in Japan?
Answer: The average practical nurse in Japan makes $28,501 (¥4.28M) a year (monthly pay × 12 plus bonus, 2025, Japan's Basic Survey on Wage Structure).
Monthly pay $2,021 × 12 + bonus $4,245. Average age 51.8; about 123,000 people work in this job. About the same as the Japan-wide average ($33,720).
Practical nurse pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex)
| Company size | Everyone | Men | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | $28,501 | $31,102 | $28,201 | 51.8 |
| Big company | $30,494 | $35,299 | $30,159 | 54.9 |
| Mid-size | $28,755 | $31,527 | $28,379 | 51.1 |
| Small company | $27,582 | $29,381 | $27,401 | 52.3 |
Why does pay differ?
In Japan, pay can vary with experience and qualifications, the type and size of employer, location, and assigned duties or specialty. Full- or part-time hours, night shifts, overtime, and each workplace’s allowance rules can also make a difference.
What if you were…
In Japan, age and company size matter mostPick a company size, sex or age to see that group's average here.
How it changes with age
Tap an age to update the number above (Any company size, men and women combined)
How it changes with company size
What does a practical nurse do?
What's a typical day like?
At a hospital, a practical nurse checks patients’ temperature and blood pressure, gives treatments under instructions, and helps with daily care such as meals or washing. They keep records and watch how patients are doing.
How to get this job
After junior high (about age 15), train at a practical-nurse school for at least two years, including clinical practice. Then pass a prefectural exam and get a license from the prefectural governor; no apprenticeship is required.
Did you know?
In Japan, practical nurses hold a prefectural license and can provide patient care and treatment under a doctor's or nurse's direction—unlike unlicensed nursing aides.
What about the US?
Nearly the same jobJapan's figure is the average and the US figure is the median. Prices and exchange rates matter too, so it's a rough comparison.
Similar jobs
Healthcare and welfare jobsEarn more in the same field
Healthcare and welfare jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 (regular workers, by occupation) (e-Stat). Yearly pay = monthly contractual cash earnings × 12 + annual bonus. Averages for regular workers at firms with 10+ employees. Public employees (teachers, police, firefighters) and company executives are not in this survey. e-stat.go.jp
Pages used for the text
- shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/Occupation/Detail/156
- www.nurse.or.jp/home/publication/pdf/guideline/way_of_nursing_service.pdf
- www.junkankyo.com/nurse.php
- www.e-stat.go.jp/stat-search/files?cycle=0&layout=datalist&page=1&stat_infid=000
- www.nurse.or.jp/nursing/shuroanzen/chingin/guide/basic_characteristic.html
- www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/itiran/roudou/chingin/kouzou/z2025/index.html
Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY