I’m 29M and been in Japan for 4 years. I just saw a post in the Japan subreddit that someone commented that 200k円/month is boarderline exploitive.
I work full time and make just shy of that after taxes.. Including allowances and train fare it’s still sub 200. I also received 2 bonuses a year that are about 3~4x monthly salary.
I would like some perspective since now I feel like I’m below the poverty line 🙃
Also feel like a failure since I’m pushing 30..
Should I search for a new job? Would it even be possible with a Japanese level between N5~N4?
Thanks in advance for everyone’s input
ETA: I work in assembly manufacturing, 40h/week, can OT if I want but I don’t. My apartment is 5万円/m
39 comments
Assuming 4x your salary for the bonus, that’s 4 000 000 a year. Depending on which figures you go by the average wage in Japan is about 6 000 000.
Sounds pretty average. 3~3.2m take home is around 4m gross. Pretty good, even, if you’re not in a huge city and not putting in crazy OT.
Also the generic answer is that if you can’t find a job that pays better, you are not being underpaid. In a pragmatic sense anyway. We can argue about what “should” happen all day long, but in the end we all have to live in reality.
If you’re making that much after taxes and getting big bonuses a few times a year, you’re doing better than a lot of people.
Bonuses are scam; always max on the base and bonuses are cherry on top
There is no enough in everybody’s mind for money. If you think you can fulfill all your needs and feel happy, it’s fine.
Hey I make that amount too, working 60 hours a week. After 5 years here, I’m just so sick of this country. Going to go back to the US where I can get savings even if my QoL suffers.
You didn’t say what type of job/industry, neither where you live. Even without that, around 3.6m a year is not bad.
Also, you are not a failure, your salary does not define you.
people say 20万 per month is bad usually meant 240万 per year and no bonus
if you have bonus 2month x2 then you get 320万 per year, and to be honest that quite good imo
factoring in your bonuses you are doing really well.
Depends. If you are that guy with 3 kids giving all his money to his wife for ¥500 a day allowance…….
U r way ahead English teacher mate. Still I would secretly mensetsu other companies , only quit after u have sign offer letter.
My first IT job in japan was barely 200.000 NO bonus, did it for 3 years . And I was 31 years old.
Depends on your location and your work life balance. Some people make much more money but with unreasonable working hours.
It’s not great, but by no means terrible either.
Depends on how much overtime you are doing, whether you enjoy the work, and whether there are chances for advancement.
On that money, you can never leave Japan.
You’re making well over the “norm” for English teaching and honestly about average for a mid 30’s salaryman.
my 手取り is 240k and i dont even get bonuses
(im from eastern-europe before anyone comes at me that im being exploited, this is an okay salary in my standard and enough to live a good life in central Osaka)
Doing better than us teachers out here. I live in a pretty rural area so most people would gasp a the weak amount of money I make teaching. But hey, I’m able to make a living off of it and I enjoy the school I’m at, so not much complaining to do.
Because of the bonus system in Japan, where you are basically guaranteed a bonus of at least some amount at some interval, judging your financial situation based on net monthly income isn’t a good way to approach the situation.
If you’re getting bonuses and use the word “salary”, I assume that means you are an actual Salaried Employee (正社員). If so, you have an employment contract which should state your *yearly* income, with details on overtime and bonus allotments.
20man/month *is* quite low. But 3-4x monthly salary twice a year is quite high.
I suggest you calculate based on the bottom line of your expected bonuses, calculating as a factor of `monthly salary * (months in year + months expected bonus)`. In your case, we have 20man / month and a 3-month bonus twice a year, which is an extra 6 months of pay. `20 * (12 + 6) = 360`.
360man isn’t fantastic, but its not awful. It’s about the average.
I don’t know what the expected pay for assembly manufacturing is, nor what your salary growth has been. I suggest you shop around and see what you could realistically expect for somebody with your experience in your position. If you like your current job or are worried about Japanese at another position, then you can use that information to try to negotiate a raise at your current employer.
You could also talk to your employer about career options with the company. Assembly manufacturing may not be glamorous, but its niche enough that having some years of experience could make you a great candidate for promotions. Maybe you could move up to a line manager, or get involved in the higher level phases of manufacturing.
FFS, how about posting your total annual gross salary instead of making people here jump through hoops?
First off, don’t let your earnings determine your self worth. But if the pay is not cutting it for you than you should be doing something to increase earning power (eg self-study, networking, etc) or reduce spending.
I read this as you making 4m a year. This is slightly above the 3.9m average for all employment types which includes part-time workers.
The average for seishain is 5.1m and for part-time it is 1.2m per annum. Compared to seishain, yes you are being shafted. Compared to the broad average of all workers you are making average.
However, your monthly base is significantly below average. The average monthly on a non-bonus month for all workers is about 280k with the typical bonus being slightly less than 2x the monthly salary twice a year. 200k/month is what new grads might make, so there is room for you to negotiate a higher monthly.
The unemployment rate is 2.6% and the jobs to applicant ratio is 1.3x, this is a workers market. Do some interviews, get some offers, ask your current employer for a counter and name your price.
That’s smack dab the middle of average.
You’re doing better than many.
The discrepancy you’re seeing in this sub is that there are a lot of people working in tech, and for a skilled IT worker, that salary would be uncompetitive and exploitative, because those skills are at a premium in the market.
My partner works as a chef and brings in a bit less than you, so it’s all relative to the sort of work and career people have chosen, where they decide to live, and the cost of their lifestyle.
So if you’re making enough for your lifestyle and location and chosen career, you’re fine.
Okay, so you’re making a take-home salary of 3.6m to 4.0m per year, including bonuses. What is your gross salary, pre-tax? Around 5m per year? That’s not a fantastic salary but it’s not a terrible one either. It’s around the average in Japan.
The more important question really is what is your future earning potential? If you have a path to 8m or 10m gross salary, then you have a career track that is better than many people, and as long as you save & invest you will be fine.
Yeah, I “teach” English and I make 215,000 a month with no bonuses before tax. That’s the exploitation part most people talk about since English teaching rarely feels like an actually sustainable job. Which is a main reason why I’m considering trying Japanese university to get an official teaching license.
Lmao you’re definitely getting paid more than me.
I get paid 180k (gross) a month with only a once a year bonus. Yeah I know it’s literal shit pay but I also live in a relatively cheap location so it’s doable. Am definitely looking for another job because it’s not a salary I would want long term.
200k take home pay means about 240k gross monthly salary (pre-taxes).
240k x 18 months (12 months + 6 months worth bonus per year) = 4.32 million yen per year (pre-tax)
Average pre-tax annual salary in Japan for 25-29 year olds is about 3.69 million.
So you’re slightly above average. People talking about 200k takehome “sucks” are talking about no bonus jobs. (so 240k x 12, which is 2.88 million annual pre-tax salary, which is very low)
i was 200k per month aswell and its pretty tough to live with that peanut salary.
the average salary for a male of 30 in the tokyo area is around 320.000. personally I work at a factory and earns around 400.000 so surely if you want more money there are plenty of option open. !
You probably are not on the way to get super rich through work during your life but then who does nowadays
If you have been working 4years maybe you could négociate a raise because post COVID, inflation etc
I have the same issue as u….My friends around me said I deserve more for my age. But the age and gender are really confusing me. Many headhunters shock about my age and salary. I feel pathetic when I talk to them.
I’m getting more and more confused about my future career now.
I sometimes see posts on this sub from people claiming to take home 500k/600k円 each month. Which, at just shy of 400k円/month (after taxes), makes me feel pretty exploited.
*Prepares for the downvote storm*
Wait wtf? You get such HUGE bonuses (3-4x your monthly salary) twice a year? What are you complaining about?
Try this one out!! I know it says N2 level minimum but it does not hurt to try 🙂
[Travel Planner Job Posting](https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/job/view/lang/en/job_id/145777)
I’m pretty sure the 200K they mentioned refers to 200K yen before taxes (usually without bonuses). Which – while not uncommon for starters – is quite low for somebody pushing 30. Under 200K after taxes however doesn’t have to be bad. It depends on a few things:
* What industry are you working in?
* Where are you working?
* What are your monthly expenditures like?
* Do you get yearly bonuses?
For example, my salary is lower than that of most of my friends who live in Tokyo, but so are my expenditures (while getting far more living space and higher quality groceries). I usually manage to save up between 1/3rd and up to half of my monthly salary without trying. I’m pretty sure I have more savings than most of them at this point.
Bonuses also make a massive difference. Without my bonuses (twice a year for me, just like you), my salary would be kind of crappy. However, when you account for bonuses, a salary that looks disappointing at first glance can get way better. Many people effectively earn 14-16 months worth of salary a year when bonuses are included.
Your salary is probably fine. Everybody always wants more, but as long as you can live a comfortable life, you’re probably doing just fine.
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To get your per month, add what you receive every month PLUS your bonuses and divide by 12.
Sounds like you make ~300 a month
You are doing good. I have about 250,000 per month on full-time position after taxes, including transportation expenses. No bonuses though.
You guys getting bonus?
If it didn’t bother you before, why let it bother you now? That being said, it’s always a good idea to better yourself and look for more opportunities.
You have to manage your career. If there’s a better opportunity, do it.