How much tax will I pay in Japan on my salary?

An employee pays income tax of 5% to 45% of taxable income plus 2.1% of that tax, and resident tax of about 10% of last year’s taxable income. Social insurance takes around 15% of salary before age 40.

Why do I pay no resident tax in my first year in Japan?

Resident tax is charged on the previous year’s income to people living in Japan on January 1. If you had no income in Japan last year, it usually starts in June of your second year.

Do non-residents pay the same tax in Japan?

No. You are a non-resident if you have no domicile in Japan and have not lived here for a year or more. Salary paid to a non-resident has a flat 20.42% income tax withheld. This calculator is for residents.

Will the 2027 defense surtax lower my take-home pay?

Not by itself. From January 2027, a defense surtax of 1% of income tax starts and the reconstruction surtax falls from 2.1% to 1.1%. The total stays 2.1%.

Why is my payslip different from this result?

Monthly income tax on a payslip comes from a withholding table and is settled in December. Premiums use a grade fixed from earlier pay. A tax-free commuting allowance or other deductions also change the numbers.

Guide, sources and FAQ | Japan Take-Home Pay Calculator

How to use it

This page covers take-home pay for employees who are tax residents of Japan. It explains each deduction and why resident tax starts a year late.

Choose per month or per year, and enter your salary before tax.
Below the result, add your bonuses, if any.
Tick “40 to 64” if it applies, and pick your workplace prefecture.
Add your spouse and children.
Say whether you had a salary in Japan last year.

How take-home pay is calculated

Health insurance, the child support levy and pension use your standard monthly remuneration, a grade set from your monthly pay. You pay half and your employer pays half.
Rates: Kyokai Kenpo health insurance by prefecture (Tokyo 9.85%), long-term care 1.62% from age 40 to 64, child support levy 0.23% from April 2026, and pension 18.3%.
Employment insurance is 0.5% of your actual pay, bonuses included.
Income tax is the full-year amount after the December year-end adjustment, with the 2026 rules. For example, the basic deduction is ¥1,040,000 for income up to ¥4,890,000.
Resident tax uses the standard rates: about 10% of taxable income plus a fixed ¥5,000.

Bonuses, rounding and the 2027 change

Bonuses are rounded down to ¥1,000. Health insurance counts up to ¥5,730,000 of bonuses a year, and pension up to ¥1,500,000 per payment.
Each premium is rounded to the yen: 50 sen or less down, more than 50 sen up.
The yearly income tax is shared between salary and bonuses in proportion to pay.
Employment insurance and the child support levy rates are for April 2026 to March 2027.
From January 2027, a defense surtax of 1% of income tax starts and the reconstruction surtax falls from 2.1% to 1.1%. The total stays 2.1%.

Why resident tax starts a year later

Resident tax (juminzei) is charged on last year’s income to people living in Japan on January 1. Your employer usually deducts it in 12 payments from June to the next May.

In your first year of work in Japan, there is usually no resident tax. Tax on your 2026 pay starts in June 2027. If you leave Japan after January 1, you still owe that year’s resident tax.

Sources and date checked

Sources: National Tax Agency, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan Health Insurance Association and Children and Families Agency. Checked October 1, 2026. Income tax is for 2026; resident tax is for June 2027 to May 2028.

All sources (most are in Japanese)

The calculator uses the same value files as the Japanese year-end adjustment and resident tax calculators on this site.

Frequently asked questions

How much tax will I pay in Japan on my salary?: An employee pays income tax of 5% to 45% of taxable income plus 2.1% of that tax, and resident tax of about 10% of last year’s taxable income. Social insurance takes around 15% of salary before age 40.
Why do I pay no resident tax in my first year in Japan?: Resident tax is charged on the previous year’s income to people living in Japan on January 1. If you had no income in Japan last year, it usually starts in June of your second year.
Do non-residents pay the same tax in Japan?: No. You are a non-resident if you have no domicile in Japan and have not lived here for a year or more. Salary paid to a non-resident has a flat 20.42% income tax withheld. This calculator is for residents.
Will the 2027 defense surtax lower my take-home pay?: Not by itself. From January 2027, a defense surtax of 1% of income tax starts and the reconstruction surtax falls from 2.1% to 1.1%. The total stays 2.1%.
Why is my payslip different from this result?: Monthly income tax on a payslip comes from a withholding table and is settled in December. Premiums use a grade fixed from earlier pay. A tax-free commuting allowance or other deductions also change the numbers.

Notes and your data

This is an estimate. The final amounts are decided by your employer, the tax office and your city office.
Your inputs are saved only in this browser (localStorage, key seido-keisan_takehome_draft) and are never sent anywhere.
This is not tax advice.

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Changelog

October 1, 2026 Published (2026 income tax, fiscal 2026 premiums)