Japan sets a minimum hourly wage for each prefecture every year. It applies to every worker, including part-time and temporary staff. The fiscal 2026 rates take effect prefecture by prefecture between 1 October 2026 and 2 December 2026; on 18 October 2026, 32 of the 47 were in force.
By prefecture (per hour)
| Prefecture | Fiscal 2026 | Before | Rise | In force from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | ¥1,280 | ¥1,226 | +54 (4.4%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Kanagawa | ¥1,279 | ¥1,225 | +54 (4.4%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Osaka | ¥1,231 | ¥1,177 | +54 (4.6%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Saitama | ¥1,196 | ¥1,141 | +55 (4.8%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Chiba | ¥1,195 | ¥1,140 | +55 (4.8%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Aichi | ¥1,195 | ¥1,140 | +55 (4.8%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Kyoto | ¥1,180 | ¥1,122 | +58 (5.2%) | 16 November 2026 (upcoming) |
| Hyogo | ¥1,172 | ¥1,116 | +56 (5.0%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Shizuoka | ¥1,154 | ¥1,097 | +57 (5.2%) | 15 October 2026 |
| Mie | ¥1,143 | ¥1,087 | +56 (5.2%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Hiroshima | ¥1,141 | ¥1,085 | +56 (5.2%) | 11 October 2026 |
| Ibaraki | ¥1,136 | ¥1,074 | +62 (5.8%) | 18 October 2026 |
| Shiga | ¥1,136 | ¥1,080 | +56 (5.2%) | 3 October 2026 |
| Hokkaido | ¥1,131 | ¥1,075 | +56 (5.2%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Tochigi | ¥1,125 | ¥1,068 | +57 (5.3%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Gifu | ¥1,121 | ¥1,065 | +56 (5.3%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Gunma | ¥1,120 | ¥1,063 | +57 (5.4%) | 3 October 2026 |
| Toyama | ¥1,119 | ¥1,062 | +57 (5.4%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Nagano | ¥1,117 | ¥1,061 | +56 (5.3%) | 2 October 2026 |
| Fukuoka | ¥1,114 | ¥1,057 | +57 (5.4%) | 4 October 2026 |
| Ishikawa | ¥1,113 | ¥1,054 | +59 (5.6%) | 3 October 2026 |
| Yamanashi | ¥1,113 | ¥1,052 | +61 (5.8%) | 1 November 2026 (upcoming) |
| Fukui | ¥1,112 | ¥1,053 | +59 (5.6%) | 4 October 2026 |
| Niigata | ¥1,108 | ¥1,050 | +58 (5.5%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Nara | ¥1,107 | ¥1,051 | +56 (5.3%) | 4 October 2026 |
| Okayama | ¥1,104 | ¥1,047 | +57 (5.4%) | 2 October 2026 |
| Tokushima | ¥1,103 | ¥1,046 | +57 (5.4%) | 1 November 2026 (upcoming) |
| Wakayama | ¥1,101 | ¥1,045 | +56 (5.4%) | 3 October 2026 |
| Yamaguchi | ¥1,101 | ¥1,043 | +58 (5.6%) | 8 October 2026 |
| Miyagi | ¥1,098 | ¥1,038 | +60 (5.8%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Oita | ¥1,096 | ¥1,035 | +61 (5.9%) | 1 November 2026 (upcoming) |
| Saga | ¥1,095 | ¥1,030 | +65 (6.3%) | 15 November 2026 (upcoming) |
| Fukushima | ¥1,094 | ¥1,033 | +61 (5.9%) | 16 October 2026 |
| Ehime | ¥1,093 | ¥1,033 | +60 (5.8%) | 1 November 2026 (upcoming) |
| Yamagata | ¥1,092 | ¥1,032 | +60 (5.8%) | 30 October 2026 (upcoming) |
| Shimane | ¥1,092 | ¥1,033 | +59 (5.7%) | 10 October 2026 |
| Kagawa | ¥1,092 | ¥1,036 | +56 (5.4%) | 1 October 2026 |
| Kumamoto | ¥1,092 | ¥1,034 | +58 (5.6%) | 1 December 2026 (upcoming) |
| Aomori | ¥1,090 | ¥1,029 | +61 (5.9%) | 29 October 2026 (upcoming) |
| Iwate | ¥1,090 | ¥1,031 | +59 (5.7%) | 1 December 2026 (upcoming) |
| Akita | ¥1,090 | ¥1,031 | +59 (5.7%) | 14 October 2026 |
| Tottori | ¥1,090 | ¥1,030 | +60 (5.8%) | 3 October 2026 |
| Kagoshima | ¥1,090 | ¥1,026 | +64 (6.2%) | 25 October 2026 (upcoming) |
| Nagasaki | ¥1,087 | ¥1,031 | +56 (5.4%) | 2 November 2026 (upcoming) |
| Kochi | ¥1,086 | ¥1,023 | +63 (6.2%) | 29 October 2026 (upcoming) |
| Okinawa | ¥1,086 | ¥1,023 | +63 (6.2%) | 2 December 2026 (upcoming) |
| Miyazaki | ¥1,085 | ¥1,023 | +62 (6.1%) | 24 October 2026 (upcoming) |
The national average over ten years
| FY2016 | ¥823 | +3.1% |
| FY2017 | ¥848 | +3.0% |
| FY2018 | ¥874 | +3.1% |
| FY2019 | ¥901 | +3.1% |
| FY2020 | ¥902 | +0.1% |
| FY2021 | ¥930 | +3.1% |
| FY2022 | ¥961 | +3.3% |
| FY2023 | ¥1,004 | +4.5% |
| FY2024 | ¥1,055 | +5.1% |
| FY2025 | ¥1,121 | +6.3% |
| FY2026 | ¥1,177 | +5.0% |
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), national list of regional minimum wages, fiscal 2026; compiled and translated by The Hardest Market. The national weighted average is MHLW's figure. Industry-specific minimum wages are not included.
Questions
What is Japan's minimum wage in 2026?
Japan's national weighted average minimum wage for fiscal 2026 is ¥1,177 an hour, up ¥56 (5.0%), per MHLW. Tokyo is highest at ¥1,280 and Miyazaki lowest at ¥1,085; the new rates take effect prefecture by prefecture between 1 October 2026 and 2 December 2026.
Related: Pay by occupation · Where hiring is hardest · Hiring and turnover · Foreign workers · Paid leave, hours and retirement · Pay rises · HR calendar (next releases)