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Talent Wiki - Japan

Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Japan

Capital

Tokyo

Currency

Japanese Yen (JPY)

Languages

Japanese

Payroll Frequency

monthly

GDP per Capita

$36,492.15

Employer Tax

15.045%

Talent Overview

Known as the “Land of the Rising Sun”, Japan’s distinction from the rest of the world is not only its strategic geographical location but also due to its rich cultural virtues. Japanese people are known to be polite, organized, and have a good work ethic. In turn, the country has many merits to its name and is considered one of the most developed countries in the world.

Japan’s economy is ranked as the third-largest in the world by nominal GDP and fourth by Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) GDP. The country is also one of the world’s leading investors, having more than $220 billion in FDI (foreign direct investments) outflows each year.

Major economic hubs:

Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto

Skills in demand:

IT engineer, Cloud Computing Engineer, IoT Engineer, Country Manager.

Local Universities

The top universities in Japan are:

The University of Tokyo

Ranking

Local: 1

World: 100

Kyoto University

Ranking

Local: 2

World: 147

Keio University

Ranking

Local: 3

World: 256

Osaka University

Ranking

Local: 4

World: 347

Hokkaido University

Ranking

Local: 5

World: 348

Salary Data

Below listed are the average salaries for some common jobs in Japan.

Job Title Average Monthly Salary (in JPY) Average Monthly Salary (in USD)
Financial Manager 1,050,000 7,423
General Manager 931,000 6,581
Business Development Manager 834,000 5,895
Financial Analyst 708,000 5,005
Business Analyst 642,000 4,538
Project Manager 619,000 4,376

Talent Sourcing Tips

Top Local Job Boards:

GaijinPot, Daijob, Craigslist, JobsinJapan

Number of LinkedIn users:

3,740,000

Top Recruitment Agencies:

FAIR, Robert Walters, Nippon Shigoto

Employing in Japan

Onboarding Japanese employees can be a real asset to businesses expanding their operations in the country. The first step to realizing this is to be familiarized with the Japanese labor regulations. The following section shall guide you through the onboarding process.

Employee Contract

There is no required language in Japanese employment contracts, provided it is written in a medium that all parties understand. However, most employers use the Japanese language for these documents.

Probation period

Employees in Japan can have 3 to 6 months of probation period.

Public and Provincial Holidays

Date Name Type
1 Jan New Year’s Day National holiday
1 Jan January 1 Bank Holiday Bank holiday
2 Jan January 2 Bank Holiday Bank holiday
3 Jan January 3 Bank Holiday Bank holiday
8 Jan Coming of Age Day National holiday
11 Feb National Foundation Day National holiday
12 Feb National Foundation Day observed National holiday
23 Feb Emperor’s Birthday National holiday
20 Mar Spring Equinox National holiday
29 Apr Shōwa Day National holiday
3 May Constitution Memorial Day National holiday
4 May Greenery Day National holiday
5 May Children’s Day National holiday
6 May Children’s Day observed National holiday
15 Jul Sea Day National holiday
11 Aug Mountain Day National holiday
12 Aug Day off for Mountain Day National holiday
16 Sep Respect for the Aged Day National holiday
22 Sep Autumn Equinox National holiday
23 Sep Autumn Equinox observed National holiday
14 Oct Sports Day National holiday
3 Nov Culture Day National holiday
4 Nov Culture Day observed National holiday
23 Nov Labor Thanksgiving Day National holiday
31 Dec December 31 Bank Holiday Bank holiday

Employee Leaves

Type of Leave Time Period Mandatory
Annual Leave 10-20 days Yes
Sick Leave 0 days No
Maternity Leave 14 weeks Yes

Payroll

Payroll Cycle

Employees in Japan are paid monthly.

Minimum Wage

Minimum wage in Japan varies with location, ranging from 790 JPY to 1,072 JPY.

Overtime Pay

The standard working hours in Japan are 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. Overtime is legal in the country, with a cap of 45 hours per month and 360 hours per year. The overtime pay varies as per the table below:

Bonus

13th Month Pay

13th month pay is customary in Japan. Most employers offer these incentives for their employees as a winter bonus, usually around December.

Employee Benefits

Japanese employees are entitled to numerous benefits during their employment. Below are some of them:

  • Health & Medical Insurances
  • Holidays & Annual Leave
  • Maternity & Paternity Leave
  • Sickness & Special Ability Leave
  • Pensions

Taxes

Employer Payroll Tax

Category Tax Rate
Health Insurance 4.935%
Welfare Pension 9.15%
Employment Insurance 0.6%
Child Allowance 0.36%
Worker’s Accident Compensation Insurance Varies on the type of business

Employee Payroll Tax

Category Tax Rate
Health Insurance* 4.905%
Welfare Pension 9.15%
Unemployment Insurance 0.5% (Upto March 2023)
Child Allowance 0.36%

*Note: There is an additional fixed rate of 0.82% for the long term health insurance that is applicable for ages of 40 and 64.

Employee Income Tax

Taxable Income (JPY) Tax Rate Deduction (JPY) Tax on base amount (JPY)
0 – 1,950,000 5% 0 0
1,950,000 – 3,300,000 10% 97,500 97,500
3,300,000 – 6,950,000 20% 427,500 232,500
6,950,000 – 9,000,000 23% 636,000 962,500
9,000,000 – 18,000,000 33% 1,536,000 1,434,000
18,000,000 – 40,000,000 40% 2,796,000 4,404,000
40,000,000 and above 45% 4,796,000 13,204,000

VAT

The standard VAT rate in Japan is 10%. However, few goods and services are levied a VAT of 8%.

 

Offboarding & Termination

Employers terminating their employees must provide a notice of termination informing them of the reasons for the decision. In cases of summary dismissal, an employer may do so without any notice but must pay their employees 30-days worth of wages, known as a “notice allowance.”

A notice period of up to 30 days is generally observed in Japan.

A severance pay is not mandatory in Japan.

Visa and Immigration

According to the Japan Immigration Authority, foreign workers can legally work in the country if they have secured a Japanese work visa. Below are the types of visas in Japan:

  • Regular Japan Work Visa
  • Japan Highly Skilled Professional Visa
  • Japan Working Holiday Visa

Streamline payroll and compliance for your international workforce

Payroll

Minimum Wage

Overtime Pay

Time and date of extra work Rate
Overtime Additional 25%
Night-time (22:00 – 05:00) Additional 25%
Weekends and Holidays Additional 35%
Night-time (continuing from overtime) Additional 50%
Holiday (continuing from night-time) Additional 60%

Visa & Immigration