Japan local government workforce and compensation

Data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications indicates that as of April 1, 2025, Japanese local governments employed 686,636 fiscal year appointment employees. Approximately 89.4 percent of this workforce serves in part-time capacities. The largest segment is general administrative staff at 33.1 percent, followed by childcare workers and skilled manual laborers. Hourly wages vary by role, with teachers earning the highest average at 2,514 yen and library staff earning the lowest at 1,365 yen.

By October 2026, personnel commissions in eight prefectures recommended increases to monthly salaries and bonuses for administrative staff to narrow the pay gap between the public and private sectors. For example, annual average salaries for administrative roles were projected to rise by up to 245,000 yen in Kumamoto and 244,000 yen in Niigata. Additionally, bonus payments were set to increase slightly across several prefectures.

Broadly, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare data from August 2026 showed a rise in nominal wages, with total cash earnings for businesses with five or more employees increasing by 3.9 percent.