What changes
On 28 July 2026 the Central Minimum Wages Council recommended increases of 54 yen for A-rank prefectures and 56 yen for B and C ranks. By 3 September 2026 every prefectural council had made its recommendation, and many went above the guideline. The national weighted average rises from 1,121 yen to 1,177 yen, up 56 yen, the second-largest increase since the guideline system began in fiscal 1978. Increases range from 54 to 65 yen.
Tokyo rises to 1,280 yen and Kanagawa to 1,279 yen, both from 1 October 2026. Osaka goes to 1,231 yen, and Saitama, Chiba and Aichi to around 1,195 yen, all from 1 October. Miyazaki is lowest at 1,085 yen from 24 October. Thirty-seven prefectures move in October, seven in November (Yamanashi, Tokushima, Ehime, Oita, Nagasaki, Saga and Kyoto, the last on 16 November) and three in December (Iwate and Kumamoto on 1 December, Okinawa on 2 December). Effective dates are as recommended and can move if objections are filed.
The government's target has moved. The Basic Policy adopted in July 2026 keeps the aim of a 1,500 yen national average, but now says it should be reached as early as possible and by the early 2030s at the latest, rather than within the 2020s.
Who it applies to
Every employer, for every employee, including part-time, fixed-term and student workers. The rate is set by the prefecture of the workplace, not the head office.
Action for employers
- Check hourly pay at every site. Divide monthly base pay by average monthly scheduled hours. Bonuses, overtime, commuting and family allowances do not count.
- Watch the dates by prefecture. A company with offices in Tokyo, Kyoto and Kumamoto has three different effective dates this year.
- Review entry-level grades. Rises of 50 to 60 yen a year compress the gap between new hires and experienced staff.
- Plan for more of the same. Reaching 1,500 yen by the early 2030s implies yearly rises of over 3%.
Sources
- Minimum Wage Act, Articles 4 and 9.
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, guideline for fiscal 2026 regional minimum wage revisions, 28 July 2026.
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, recommendations for revised regional minimum wages in all prefectures, 3 September 2026, with table of effective dates.
- Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2026.