How much does a metal smelter make in Japan?
a year · about $20 an hour
The average metal smelter in Japan makes $39,170 (¥5.88M) 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?
Operators wear safety gear, follow a manual, and watch gauges while running furnaces or other machines. They check safety with teammates and report faults or stop equipment when something looks wrong.
Did you know? In a Japanese steel converter, blowing in oxygen makes impurities react and release heat that helps melt iron into steel.
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?
In Japan, many start after high school, though no specific degree or certificate is required. New hires learn through training and senior coworkers; some duties later require licenses, such as for crane operation.
Why does pay differ?
In Japan, pay can vary with experience, employer type and size, location, and the process or equipment a worker handles. Some duties need extra licenses, and night or rotating shifts may bring extra allowances.
Jobs like this
In the US, a typical metal furnace operator makes $54,430 → see more
Data table and sources
| Company size | Everyone | Men | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | $39,170 | $40,307 | $27,279 | 42.1 |
| Big company | $44,147 | $45,665 | $29,856 | 40 |
| Mid-size | $37,369 | $38,285 | $26,243 | 42.7 |
| Small company | $30,157 | $30,951 | $21,957 | 46.2 |
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/259
- www.jfe-steel.co.jp/saiyou/ginou/highschool/job/
- www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/list/chinginkouzou_b.html
- www.jisf.or.jp/knowledge/manufacture/tenro.html
- www.jfe-steel.co.jp/saiyou/ginou/highschool/recruit/higashinihon/
Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY