$Who Earns What

How much does a factory clerk make in Japan?

Production-Related Clerks

Answer: The average factory clerk in Japan makes $36,240 (¥5.44M) a year (monthly pay × 12 plus bonus, 2025, Japan's Basic Survey on Wage Structure).

Average yearly pay of people doing this job in Japan
$36,240 (¥5.44M)

Monthly pay $2,367 × 12 + bonus $7,832. Average age 45.7; about 479,000 people work in this job. About the same as the Japan-wide average ($33,720).

Factory clerk pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex)

Factory clerk pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex) — Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025
Company sizeEveryoneMenWomenAge
Any size$36,240$41,043$29,18145.7
Big company$45,056$48,777$36,91945.1
Mid-size$33,913$38,313$27,68045.4
Small company$29,921$34,214$25,62847.1

Why does pay differ?

In Japan, experience and specialist know-how can affect pay, as can the employer’s industry, size, and local pay rules. Full-time versus part-time work, overtime, rotating shifts, and duties such as purchasing or quality control can also make pay differ; a certificate may help show relevant skills.

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$36,240
Big company$45,056
Mid-size$33,913
Small company$29,921
Men$41,043
Women$29,181

What does a factory clerk do?

What's a typical day like?

They check a schedule and spreadsheet, track production steps, share shipment updates, and order materials. They tell managers about problems, pass instructions to the factory floor, and help fix quality or delivery issues.

How to get this job

In Japan, people can enter after high school (typically around 18), though no specific degree or license is required. New hires learn through training and on-the-job practice; the optional JAVADA production-management exam can build skills.

Did you know?

In Japan, a factory-office worker may even negotiate supply prices and help handle sudden quality or delivery changes—not just file paperwork.

What about the US?

Nearly the same job
Factory clerk (average)
$36,240
US
Production clerk (typical)
$59,650

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.

Similar jobs

Office, sales and retail jobs

Earn more in the same field

Office, sales and retail jobs that pay a bit more

Sources and data

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

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