How much does a security guard make in Japan?

Japan Security Guards

$25,329 (¥3.8M)

a year · about $13 an hour

The average security guard in Japan makes $25,329 (¥3.8M) 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 starts with a handover; then the guard checks visitors and patrols the building, looking for trouble and checking alarms. In an emergency, they call police or firefighters, guide people to safety, and write a report.

Did you know? Unlike police officers, private security guards in Japan do not have police powers.

Is that a lot?

Compared with jobs you know

This job$25,329

Typical worker$33,720

Elementary teacher$49,011

Doctor$100,817

Cashier$25,651

What if you were…

In Japan, age and company size matter most

Pick 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

Any size$25,329

Big company$28,913

Mid-size$23,773

Small company$21,007

Men$25,533

Women$22,098

How do you become one?

In Japan, you can apply to a security company without a special degree or license, but guards must be 18 or older. New hires take required training before work and can later earn a specialty certificate by passing written and practical tests.

Why does pay differ?

In Japan, pay can differ with experience, job certificates or rank, employer rules and size, and the kind of post, such as airport, building, or traffic security. Region, day or night shifts, and hours worked also matter.

Jobs like this

Next up

Who earns more?

In the US, a typical security guard makes $38,020 → see more

Data table and sources

Security guard pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex) — Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025
Company size	Everyone	Men	Women	Age
Any size	$25,329	$25,533	$22,098	53.8
Big company	$28,913	$29,329	$23,974	51
Mid-size	$23,773	$23,930	$20,726	54.9
Small company	$21,007	$21,127	$18,308	57.3

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

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Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY