Japan
Greece
Exchange rates: European Central Bank reference rates, 2026-10-23. Japan: Tokyo, Kyokai Kenpo, salary paid evenly each month with no bonus, no dependants. Greece: Employee in Athens, Greek tax resident and national (no relocation relief under art. 5C ITC), aged over 30 (no young-worker rates), single with no children, salary only, calendar tax year 2026. Private-sector pay in Greece is legally paid in 14 instalments (12 monthly salaries plus the Christmas bonus of one month and the Easter bonus and holiday allowance of half a month each); all figures here are annual totals. Income tax is assessed on total annual income, so the split into 12 or 14 instalments does not change the annual tax. Social security on the standard e-EFKA package for private-sector employees (KPK 101): 13.37% employee and 21.79% employer, applied up to the monthly ceiling of €7,761.94 per payment, modelled as an annual ceiling of 14 × €7,761.94. Income tax on the 2026 scale introduced by Law 5246/2025 with the standard tax reduction for a taxpayer without children; the employee is assumed to meet the requirement to spend 30% of income by card.
At three salary levels
| Salary (US$ equivalent) | Japan | Greece |
|---|---|---|
| $60,000 | Cost 1.14× Keeps 73% ¥9,408,202 | Cost 1.22× Keeps 66% €53,605 |
| $120,000 | Cost 1.10× Keeps 66% ¥18,816,403 | Cost 1.22× Keeps 58% €107,210 |
| $250,000 | Cost 1.05× Keeps 57% ¥39,200,840 | Cost 1.11× Keeps 57% €223,354 |
Employment rules compared
| Japan | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory annual leave | 10 days after six months, rising to 20; 5 days must be taken | 20-22 working days by service (25-26 long service) |
| Public holidays in 2026 | 18 | 12 (Athens) |
| Notice of dismissal | 30 days, or pay in lieu | 1-4 months by service (or full severance instead) |
| Severance required by law | None | 2-12 months' pay by service |
| Typical negotiated exit | Commonly 3–6 months’ pay plus unused leave | No official benchmark |
| Probation | Commonly 3–6 months; dismissal still needs grounds | Up to 6 months; free termination in first 12 months |
| Working hours | 40 a week; overtime capped at 45 a month and 360 a year | 40 h/week, 8 h/day |
| How hard is dismissal? | Very hard: needs objectively reasonable grounds | Moderate: no reason needed, but written notice, severance and ERGANI filing |
| Women in management (ILO) | 14.5% (2023) | 35% (2025) |
Questions
What does a US$120,000 salary cost an employer in Japan and Greece?
With the rates and exchange rates as of October 2026, in Japan (Tokyo, ¥18,816,403) the employer’s total cost is 1.10 times the salary; in Greece (€107,210) it is 1.22 times. The employee keeps 66% of salary in Japan and 58% in Greece.
Is it cheaper to employ someone in Japan or Greece?
At this salary, the employer’s on-cost is lower in Japan. The ratio changes with pay, though: where contributions are capped, the on-cost falls as a share of salary for high earners. Enter the real salary in the calculator above to compare.
How do notice and severance compare?
Japan: 30 days, or pay in lieu; no severance is required by law, and negotiated exits are commonly 3–6 months’ pay plus unused leave. Greece: notice is 1-4 months by service (or full severance instead); severance required by law: 2-12 months' pay by service; typical negotiated exit: no official benchmark.
Which has more paid leave and public holidays?
Japan: 10 days after six months, rising to 20; 5 days must be taken, and 18 public holidays in 2026. Greece: 20-22 working days by service (25-26 long service), and 12 public holidays in 2026.
Sources: Japan (Kyokai Kenpo, Japan Pension Service, MHLW, National Tax Agency, MIC). Greece: every rate and rule is listed with its primary source on Greece's HR data. Exchange rates: ECB reference rates (2026-10-23); for currencies the ECB does not quote, the central bank's rate.
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