How much does a care worker make in Japan?
a year · about $13 an hour
The average care worker in Japan makes $25,868 (¥3.88M) a year, monthly pay × 12 plus bonus, below a typical worker in Japan ($33,720) (average, 2025, Japan's Basic Survey on Wage Structure).
What do they do?
A shift often starts with reading notes and hearing a handover, then helping residents wash, dress, use the toilet, eat, and move safely. Workers plan activities, chat with residents, record changes, and brief the next shift.
Did you know? Japan’s seal-shaped robot PARO was tested in six dementia group homes; frequent resident-led sessions lowered caregivers’ reported burden compared with weekly sessions.
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?
Japan’s facility care workers can start without a required degree or license and learn on the job. Certification requires an approved school or welfare high school, or three years’ experience, practical training, and the national exam.
Why does pay differ?
In Japan, pay can rise with experience and care qualifications, and can differ by facility type, employer size, and region. Full-time versus part-time hours, night-shift allowances, and added responsibility can also change pay.
Jobs like this
In the US, a typical nursing assistant makes $42,260 → see more
Data table and sources
| Company size | Everyone | Men | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | $25,868 | $27,891 | $24,752 | 45.3 |
| Big company | $26,685 | $28,243 | $25,737 | 43.5 |
| Mid-size | $26,473 | $28,570 | $25,325 | 45 |
| Small company | $24,523 | $26,583 | $23,439 | 46.5 |
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/134
- www.sssc.or.jp/kaigo/shikaku/
- www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/saikin/hw/kaigo/jyujisya/24/dl/r06gaiyou.pdf
- www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/list/chinginkouzou_b.html
- japancwg.com/1482
- www.tmu.ac.jp/news/topics/38475.html
Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY