How much does a pharmacist make in Japan?
a year · about $20 an hour
The average pharmacist in Japan makes $37,786 (¥5.67M) 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?
At a Japanese pharmacy, a pharmacist checks prescriptions, measures and packs medicines, and calls the doctor if something seems wrong. They explain how to take each medicine and check for side effects or interactions.
Did you know? In Japan, some pharmacists also serve as school pharmacists, checking classroom air, lighting, noise, and even swimming-pool water.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowWhat if you were…
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How it changes with age
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How it changes with company size
How do you become one?
In Japan, finish high school, complete a six-year university pharmacy program, and do practical training in both a hospital and a pharmacy. Then pass the national pharmacist exam and apply to be registered for a pharmacist license.
Why does pay differ?
In Japan, pay can differ with experience, region, and employer type, such as a hospital, pharmacy, drugstore, or drug company. Full- or part-time work, night or holiday shifts, specialist certificates, and leadership duties can also affect pay or allowances; each employer sets its own rules.
Jobs like this
Kids' questions
In the US, a typical pharmacist makes $140,910 → see more
Data table and sources
| Company size | Everyone | Men | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | $37,786 | $40,381 | $35,959 | 40.1 |
| Big company | $37,660 | $39,543 | $36,254 | 36.2 |
| Mid-size | $37,514 | $41,087 | $35,177 | 44.3 |
| Small company | $39,117 | $42,723 | $36,764 | 47 |
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/158
- www.mhlw.go.jp/kouseiroudoushou/shikaku_shiken/yakuzaishi
- www.e-stat.go.jp/stat-search/files?tstat=000001011429
- yaku-job.com/column/way_of_working/pharmacist-starting-salary
- www.toyaku.or.jp/contribution/community/school_pharmacist.html
Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY