How much does a practical nurse make in Japan?
a year · about $15 an hour
The average practical nurse in Japan makes $28,501 (¥4.28M) a year, monthly pay × 12 plus bonus, about the same as a typical worker in Japan (average, 2025, Japan's Basic Survey on Wage Structure).
What do they do?
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.
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.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowWhat 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
How do you become one?
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.
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.
Jobs like this
In the US, a typical practical nurse makes $64,400 → see more
Data table and sources
| 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 |
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