How much does a dock worker make in Japan?
Answer: The average dock worker in Japan makes $40,082 (¥6.01M) a year (monthly pay × 12 plus bonus, 2025, Japan's Basic Survey on Wage Structure).
Monthly pay $2,815 × 12 + bonus $6,306. Average age 42.9; about 32,000 people work in this job. About the same as the Japan-wide average ($33,720).
Dock worker pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex)
| Company size | Everyone | Men | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | $40,082 | $40,368 | $20,416 | 42.9 |
| Big company | $37,737 | $39,095 | $18,888 | 42.2 |
| Mid-size | $42,319 | $42,391 | $25,926 | 41.1 |
| Small company | $35,657 | $36,075 | $19,159 | 47 |
Why does pay differ?
In Japan, experience and added responsibility can lead to team-leader roles, while forklift, crane, or cargo-slinging licenses open more skilled tasks. Pay also varies by employer and port, the cargo or machines handled, and whether ship schedules mean night work or overtime.
What 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
What does a dock worker do?
What's a typical day like?
After a safety briefing, crews load or unload ships and move cargo across the quay with cranes, forklifts, and slings. They sort and secure loads, check equipment, and adjust the day's plan to ships, cargo, and weather.
How to get this job
In Japan, many start after high school at a port company; no special degree or license is needed, and beginners learn safety on the job. Others train at a port vocational school and earn forklift, crane, or slinging qualifications.
Did you know?
Cargo crews work in teams: one gang is about 11–13 people on a conventional ship, but about eight on a container ship.
What about the US?
Nearly the same jobJapan'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
Driving and transport jobsEarn more in the same field
Driving and transport jobs that pay a bit moreSources 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
- shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/Occupation/Detail/499
- www3.jeed.go.jp/nagoyakouwan/poly/of_minato_sigoto.html
- chibaport.jp/work/
- www.minato-job.com/docker/schedule.html
- www.e-stat.go.jp/dbview?sid=0003447838
Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY