How much does a transport worker make in Japan?
a year · about $16 an hour
The average transport worker in Japan makes $31,341 (¥4.7M) 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?
There’s no single routine: a warehouse forklift worker checks the machine and work list, then moves pallets between trucks and shelves. Others in this group may guide fishing trips or work on ropeways, so their day differs.
Did you know? Japan's official category puts ropeway crew, fishing-trip guides and forklift operators in the same “other transport workers” group.
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?
This Japanese catch-all job has no single route: schooling, entry age and licences vary by specialty, and employers may train beginners. For example, forklift operators need a skills certificate and must be 18; passenger-boat skippers need a boat licence and safety training.
Why does pay differ?
In Japan, this label groups many different jobs, so a forklift operator and a small-boat worker may have different pay. Experience, job-specific licences, employer type and size, region, specialist duties, and hours or night shifts can all make a difference.
Jobs like this
In the US, a typical transportation worker makes $45,650 → see more
Data table and sources
| Company size | Everyone | Men | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | $31,341 | $31,887 | $26,344 | 47.1 |
| Big company | $33,245 | $35,278 | $24,594 | 45.7 |
| Mid-size | $31,245 | $31,429 | $29,321 | 46.3 |
| Small company | $30,087 | $30,240 | $26,767 | 48.8 |
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
- www.e-stat.go.jp/classifications/terms/20/02/639
- www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/list/chinginkouzou_b.html
- shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/Occupation/Detail/237
- www.mlit.go.jp/maritime/maritime_fr10_000007.html
Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY