How much does a accountant make in Japan?

In Japan, pay can vary with experience, employer type, location, and work hours; employed CPAs often have steadier pay, while independent accountants’ income depends on their clients and assignments. Qualifications and specialties, such as international tax or consulting, can lead to different work and pay.

What's a typical day like?

CPAs visit a company, compare ledgers and bank records, ask about unclear numbers, then write an audit report. Tax accountants review receipts and accounts, calculate taxes, prepare forms, and explain next steps to clients.

In Japan, the CPA exam has no age or degree limit; qualification then requires three years of work, training, assessment and registration. Tax accountants pass five exam subjects, gain two years’ related experience and register.

In Japan, tax accountants may visit schools to teach special tax lessons—not just help people file taxes.

Japan's figure is the average and the US figure is the median. Prices and exchange rates matter too, so it's a rough comparison.