minwage.me

Japan

Country or region

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Explore how minimum wage compares to Big Mac prices in Japan, and how many burgers you can earn with 1 hour of work.

Minimum wage (gross)
¥1,121
/ hour
Big Mac price
¥480
Burgers per hour
2.34
You can buy about 2 burgers in 1 hour
Work time for 1 Big Mac
25m 41s

Japan vs the world

How Japan compares with other countries and regions.

How we calculate burgers per hour

Minimum wage / hour
¥1,121
÷
Big Mac price
¥480
=
Burgers per hour
2.34

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Minimum wage (gross)

Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW / 厚生労働省) - 地域別最低賃金 全国一覧 · effective Oct 1, 2025

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW / 厚生労働省) - 地域別最低賃金 全国一覧

Japan sets the statutory minimum wage PER HOUR at the prefectural (regional) level; there is no single national figure. The standard reference is the national weighted average (全国加重平均) reported by MHLW, which rose to JPY 1,121/hour for FY2025 (令和7年度) from JPY 1,055 (a record +66 yen, ~6.3%), announced 2025-08-04. New rates take effect by prefecture, mostly from 2025-10-01 (some prefectures phase in through early 2026). Regional variation is wide: Tokyo is highest at JPY 1,226/hour; the lowest prefectures (e.g. Kochi, Miyazaki, Okinawa) sit just above JPY 1,023 — all prefectures now exceed JPY 1,000 for the first time. Figure reported is the national weighted average, the standard headline rate covering all adult full-time workers; there are no separate age tiers (a separate sector-specific 'specified minimum wage' system also exists but the regional rate is the binding floor for most workers). Cross-checked with Wikipedia 'Minimum wage in Japan' and WageIndicator. Next revision expected October 2026.

Big Mac price: The Economist · Jan 1, 2026

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