How much does a food factory worker make in Japan?
Answer: The average food factory worker in Japan makes $26,449 (¥3.97M) a year (monthly pay × 12 plus bonus, 2025, Japan's Basic Survey on Wage Structure).
Monthly pay $1,873 × 12 + bonus $3,969. Average age 43.5; about 726,000 people work in this job. Below the Japan-wide average ($33,720).
Food factory worker pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex)
| Company size | Everyone | Men | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | $26,449 | $30,581 | $20,747 | 43.5 |
| Big company | $30,159 | $35,811 | $22,259 | 43.9 |
| Mid-size | $25,932 | $29,421 | $20,961 | 43.1 |
| Small company | $23,473 | $26,913 | $18,991 | 43.9 |
Why does pay differ?
In Japan, pay can vary with experience, employer size and region, full- or part-time hours, shift times, and the product or production task. Most line jobs do not need a special license, but machine or food-safety skills can lead to more skilled duties.
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 food factory worker do?
What's a typical day like?
Workers wash and disinfect their hands, then prepare ingredients and cook or process food. They fill and pack products, check labels and foreign objects, and clean tools or machines before the next run.
How to get this job
In Japan, many factory-line jobs require no special schooling or license; people often join a food factory after school. Food, agriculture, or fisheries classes can help, and new workers learn the job on the factory floor.
Did you know?
Since 2021, nearly all food businesses in Japan have had to follow HACCP-based hygiene controls.
Similar jobs
Manufacturing and construction jobsEarn more in the same field
Manufacturing and construction 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/8
- shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/Occupation/Detail/7
- www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/list/chinginkouzou_b.html
- www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/shokuhin/haccp/index.html
- www.bellfoods.co.jp/recruit/mid-career
Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY