Japan Minimum Wage 2026: Check Tokyo’s ¥1,280 Rate and Your Workplace

1

Workplace

Find the prefecture where you work.

2

Applicable rate

Check the final rate and its effective date.

3

Your pay

Compare eligible wages and working hours.

A visual summary of this guide. Read the relevant sections below for conditions and exceptions.

Short answer: The MHLW’s September 3, 2026 summary of prefectural council recommendations reports a weighted average of 1,177 yen, up 56 yen. This average is not a nationwide legal wage floor. Tokyo's minimum wage is 1,2

Short answer: The MHLW’s September 3, 2026 summary of prefectural council recommendations reports a weighted average of 1,177 yen, up 56 yen. This average is not a nationwide legal wage floor. Tokyo's minimum wage is 1,280 yen per hour from 1 October 2026. Always use the final rate and effective date for the prefecture where you work.

General information only. Check your prefecture's Labor Bureau for the exact amount and start date that applies to your workplace.

Key facts

Yes. The minimum wage law applies regardless of nationality or employment type. Part-time workers, students working with permission, dispatch workers and employees in a trial period are all covered. An employer generally

Yes. The minimum wage law applies regardless of nationality or employment type. Part-time workers, students working with permission, dispatch workers and employees in a trial period are all covered. An employer generally cannot pay below the applicable rate without an officially approved statutory reduction; nationality or probation alone does not permit a lower wage, and public job postings below the local minimum are not accepted by Hello Work.

1. Find your hourly wage on your employment contract or pay slip.

1. Find your hourly wage on your employment contract or pay slip.

2. Look up your prefecture's minimum wage and its start date. Wages must meet the new amount from that date.

3. If you are paid monthly, divide eligible monthly wages by the average prescribed working hours per month over the year to get an hourly equivalent. Exclude overtime/holiday premiums, late-night premium portions, bonuses, temporary payments, commuting, family and perfect-attendance allowances. Other regular allowances may count; do not use take-home pay.

4. If your pay is below the minimum, talk to your employer first, then contact the Labor Standards Inspection Office or a foreign-resident support desk.

Example: In Tokyo, a 7-hour shift at the minimum wage is 7 × 1,280 = 8,960 yen before deductions.

Students limited to 28 hours a week earn less in total than full-time staff. At Tokyo's new minimum, 28 hours is 28 × 1,280 = 35,840 yen per week before tax and social insurance (illustration at this hourly rate, not a l

Students limited to 28 hours a week earn less in total than full-time staff. At Tokyo's new minimum, 28 hours is 28 × 1,280 = 35,840 yen per week before tax and social insurance (illustration at this hourly rate, not a legal earnings ceiling).

Is the minimum wage the same across Japan? No. It is set per prefecture. Tokyo is the highest at 1,280 yen.

Is the minimum wage the same across Japan? No. It is set per prefecture. Tokyo is the highest at 1,280 yen.

Are tips or transport allowances included? Commuting allowances and certain other allowances are normally not counted toward the minimum wage comparison. Ask your employer or a labor consultant if unsure.

Will it rise again? Future rates are not guaranteed. Recheck the prefectural announcement when a revision is published.

For dispatch work, check the minimum wage at the dispatch destination. A higher applicable industry-specific minimum can take precedence. Employer permission alone cannot authorize below-minimum pay; narrowly defined reductions require official permission.

• Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training (JILPT), FY2026 regional minimum wage report: Source: www.jil.go.jp

• Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training (JILPT), FY2026 regional minimum wage report: Source: www.jil.go.jp

• Tokyo Labour Bureau / Tokyo Hello Work, notice of Tokyo's FY2026 minimum wage (1,280 yen from 1 Oct 2026; page dated 14 Sept 2026): Source: jsite.mhlw.go.jp

• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Tokyo Hello Work, FY2026 provisional list (PDF): Source: jsite.mhlw.go.jp

• MHLW, September 3 council recommendations: Source: www.mhlw.go.jp

• MHLW minimum wage comparison: Source: saiteichingin.mhlw.go.jp

• Tokyo Labour Bureau current rate: Source: jsite.mhlw.go.jp

• MHLW hourly comparison for monthly wages: Source: www.mhlw.go.jp

• Official reference: Source: www.mhlw.go.jp