How much does a office worker make in Japan?
Answer: The average office worker in Japan makes $35,245 (¥5.29M) a year (monthly pay × 12 plus bonus, 2025, Japan's Basic Survey on Wage Structure).
Monthly pay $2,381 × 12 + bonus $6,677. Average age 44; about 951,000 people work in this job. About the same as the Japan-wide average ($33,720).
Office worker pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex)
| Company size | Everyone | Men | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | $35,245 | $45,685 | $29,117 | 44 |
| Big company | $39,745 | $49,535 | $32,027 | 44 |
| Mid-size | $33,081 | $41,859 | $28,299 | 43.9 |
| Small company | $26,951 | $35,561 | $24,693 | 44.3 |
Why does pay differ?
In Japan, pay can vary with experience, the employer’s rules and size, location, and whether someone works full-time or part-time. Computer, bookkeeping, language, or other specialist skills may help someone take on more specialized work, and hours or overtime can affect total pay.
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 office worker do?
What's a typical day like?
A typical day may include drafting or entering documents, checking information, and filing records, along with calls and email. Depending on the workplace, the clerk may also sort mail, welcome visitors, or order supplies.
How to get this job
In Japan, no degree, license, or set starting age is required; people apply through job sites, Hello Work, or staffing agencies. They can begin with support tasks and learn on the job; optional computer, bookkeeping, or secretary certificates may help.
Did you know?
In Japan’s job classification, a ship’s purser counts as general clerical work—but an airline purser is placed in a different job group.
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
Office, sales and retail jobsEarn more in the same field
Office, sales and retail 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/428
- www.e-stat.go.jp/classifications/terms/20/02/259
- www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/list/chinginkouzou_b.html
- www.e-stat.go.jp/dbview?sid=0004007160
Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY