Japan
Romania
Exchange rates: European Central Bank reference rates, 2026-10-23. Japan: Tokyo, Kyokai Kenpo, salary paid evenly each month with no bonus, no dependants. Romania: Employee in Bucharest on a standard individual employment contract (contract individual de muncă), Romanian tax resident and a Romanian national, aged 26 or over, single with no dependants, the job being the employee's main job (funcția de bază), salary only paid evenly as monthly gross pay (no bonus, meal vouchers or benefits in kind), normal working conditions, calendar tax year 2026. Employee pension contribution (CAS) 25% and health contribution (CASS) 10%, both uncapped and both deducted from the tax base; flat income tax 10%. The basic personal deduction applies only to monthly gross pay up to the minimum wage plus 2,000 lei (6,050 lei to June, 6,325 lei from July 2026), so it is zero for every salary shown and is not modelled. Employer: work insurance contribution (CAM) 2.25% only. Salaries in Romania are often quoted net per month; this calculator takes monthly gross.
At three salary levels
| Salary (US$ equivalent) | Japan | Romania |
|---|---|---|
| $60,000 | Cost 1.14× Keeps 73% ¥9,408,202 | Cost 1.02× Keeps 59% lei286,744 |
| $120,000 | Cost 1.10× Keeps 66% ¥18,816,403 | Cost 1.02× Keeps 58% lei573,487 |
| $250,000 | Cost 1.05× Keeps 57% ¥39,200,840 | Cost 1.02× Keeps 58% lei1,194,765 |
Employment rules compared
| Japan | Romania | |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory annual leave | 10 days after six months, rising to 20; 5 days must be taken | 20 working days minimum |
| Public holidays in 2026 | 18 | 14 (Bucharest) |
| Notice of dismissal | 30 days, or pay in lieu | Employer 20 working days; employee max 20/45 |
| Severance required by law | None | None statutory; collective agreement or contract only |
| 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 90 days (120 for managers) |
| Working hours | 40 a week; overtime capped at 45 a month and 360 a year | 8 h/day, 40 h/week; 48 h max average |
| How hard is dismissal? | Very hard: needs objectively reasonable grounds | Moderate: statutory grounds only; void dismissal means back pay and reinstatement |
| Women in management (ILO) | 14.5% (2023) | 34.7% (2024) |
Questions
What does a US$120,000 salary cost an employer in Japan and Romania?
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 Romania (lei573,487) it is 1.02 times. The employee keeps 66% of salary in Japan and 58% in Romania.
Is it cheaper to employ someone in Japan or Romania?
At this salary, the employer’s on-cost is lower in Romania. 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. Romania: notice is employer 20 working days; employee max 20/45; severance required by law: none statutory; collective agreement or contract only; 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. Romania: 20 working days minimum, and 14 public holidays in 2026.
Sources: Japan (Kyokai Kenpo, Japan Pension Service, MHLW, National Tax Agency, MIC). Romania: every rate and rule is listed with its primary source on Romania'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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