A mid-level software engineer in Japan earns a median of about ¥8,970,000 a year in 2026. Tokyo pays about 9.5% above that and Fukuoka about 10.3% below, a spread of roughly 22% between the two.
On a ¥8,675,000 package the take-home is about ¥533,487 a month, an effective deduction rate near 26.2% once income tax, the reconstruction surtax, resident tax and social insurance are counted.
National median
¥8,970,000
mid-level, measured
Net a month
¥533,487
on a ¥8,675,000 package
Tokyo to Fukuoka spread
22%
widest in our Asian markets
Turn a Japanese offer into a monthly net figure.
Open the Japan take-home calculatorWhere the money actually lands, by level
| Level | Gross a year | Net a month | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | ¥5,769,000 | ¥374,603 | 22.1% |
| Mid-level | ¥8,675,000 | ¥533,487 | 26.2% |
| Senior | ¥11,831,000 | ¥703,941 | 28.6% |
| Principal or Lead | ¥15,444,000 | ¥873,508 | 32.1% |
How solid are these numbers?
The city medians and the national figure are measured mid-level benchmarks from PayMetric's 2026 Japanese dataset, drawn from a single source with a confidence score of 0.65. The junior, senior and principal bands are modelled outward from that mid-level point rather than measured separately, so treat them as the shape of a ladder rather than surveyed figures. Net pay is computed with our Japanese tax engine at 2026 rates. For the current market range see software engineer salaries in Japan.
Tokyo pays most, Fukuoka costs least
| City | Mid-level median | Against the national figure |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | ¥9,825,000 | +9.5% on the national median |
| Yokohama | ¥9,317,500 | +3.9% |
| Osaka | ¥8,970,000 | the national median |
| Nagoya | ¥8,507,500 | -5.2% |
| Fukuoka | ¥8,045,000 | -10.3% |
Fukuoka has spent a decade courting technology companies with lower costs and a startup visa, and the pay discount against Tokyo is smaller than the difference in rent. For a remote or hybrid role it is one of the better trades available in Japan.
Two things that distort a Japanese offer comparison
How many payments make up the year. Japanese packages routinely run to fourteen or sixteen payments once summer and winter bonuses are included. A monthly figure multiplied by twelve will understate the package badly, so ask before comparing.
Resident tax arrives a year late. It is charged on the previous calendar year's income, so a first-year arrival pays little and then sees a noticeably smaller payslip in year two on the same salary. Budget for it rather than being surprised by it.
Check a specific package
Enter the annual gross to see income tax, the reconstruction surtax, resident tax and each social insurance line separately, with the age 40 nursing care step applied where it belongs.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a software engineer earn in Japan in 2026?
The national mid-level median is about ¥8,970,000 a year, with the middle of the market between roughly ¥8,507,500 and ¥9,317,500. Tokyo sits about 9.5% above that at ¥9,825,000, and Fukuoka about 10.3% below at ¥8,045,000.
What does ¥8,675,000 leave after tax?
About ¥533,487 a month, an effective deduction rate near 26.2%. That covers national income tax, the 2.1% reconstruction surtax, resident tax and employee social insurance, which is health insurance, pension, employment insurance and, from 40, nursing care. Resident tax is the line that surprises new arrivals, because it is charged on the previous year's income.
How reliable are the level bands on this page?
Treat them as a shape, not a measurement. Our 2026 Japanese dataset measures the mid-level market from a single source with a confidence score of 0.65, and the junior, senior and principal figures are modelled outward from that mid-level benchmark rather than observed separately. The city medians are measured. Use the bands to frame a range and the city figures for anything more precise.
Is Tokyo worth the premium over Fukuoka?
The pay gap is about 22% between the two, which is one of the widest city spreads in the markets we model. Tokyo rent absorbs a good deal of it, and Fukuoka has been deliberately courting technology companies with lower costs and a startup visa. If the role is remote-friendly, the Fukuoka discount is smaller in real terms than it looks.
Does the bonus count in these figures?
These are annual totals, which is the right basis for comparison, but Japanese packages often split pay across twelve monthly payments plus summer and winter bonuses. When a recruiter quotes a monthly figure, ask how many payments make up the year before comparing it with anything here. Bonuses also attract social insurance, so they do not arrive untaxed.
How much does the employer pay on top?
About 15.7% at a ¥7,000,000 salary, covering health insurance, pension, employment insurance, rousai accident insurance and the childcare levy. That percentage falls as salary rises because the pension contribution base caps at ¥650,000 a month. It is a useful thing to know in a negotiation, since a senior hire costs proportionally less to employ.
Why does my offer look different from these numbers?
Three common reasons. The offer may be quoted as a monthly figure to be multiplied by twelve, fourteen or sixteen depending on bonus structure. It may be a foreign-company package benchmarked internationally rather than locally, which in Japan often sits well above the domestic market. Or the role may carry a specialism such as machine learning or low-latency systems that the general software engineering benchmark does not capture.
Are salaries in Japan rising?
The dataset shows about 7% year-on-year growth for software engineering roles, which is high by recent Japanese standards, where wage growth has been flat for a long time. Foreign employers competing for English-speaking engineers and a genuine shortage of experienced developers are both pushing the upper bands faster than the middle.
Related reading & tools
Salary figures are PayMetric Labs' own modelled estimates from a 2026 single-source dataset with a confidence score of 0.65, not a survey or an offer. Level bands are modelled from the measured mid-level benchmark. Net pay comes from our Japanese tax engine at 2026 rates for a single filer under 40. General information only, not personal tax advice.