Between 2020 and 2023, the wage ratio relative to Tokyo improved by 1.9 percentage points in Tochigi, 0.9 points in Saitama, and 0.6 points in Ibaraki. In contrast, Chiba fell by 3.6 points and Kanagawa by 1.3 points. The Kanto region cannot be described as experiencing a single, uniform narrowing of wage gaps.
Wage levels relative to Tokyo across the 7 Kanto prefectures (all ages, men and women combined)
| Prefecture | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | — |
| Kanagawa | 98.0% | 97.8% | 97.3% | 96.7% | -1.3pt |
| Chiba | 88.6% | 88.5% | 88.5% | 85.0% | -3.6pt |
| Saitama | 86.6% | 86.5% | 86.4% | 87.5% | +0.9pt |
| Ibaraki | 85.2% | 85.3% | 85.9% | 85.8% | +0.6pt |
| Tochigi | 87.6% | 88.0% | 88.7% | 89.5% | +1.9pt |
| Gunma | 82.7% | 82.6% | 83.2% | 82.2% | -0.5pt |
Tochigi moved closer to Tokyo, while Chiba and Kanagawa fell back
In 2023, wages were 89.5% of Tokyo's level in Tochigi, 87.5% in Saitama, 96.7% in Kanagawa, 85.8% in Ibaraki, 85.0% in Chiba, and 82.2% in Gunma. Kanagawa remained closest to Tokyo in absolute level, but its relative ratio declined over the four-year period.
Tochigi recorded the largest improvement, rising from 87.6% in 2020 to 89.5% in 2023. Chiba moved the other way, falling from 88.6% to 85.0%. The direction of change therefore differed by prefecture.
Manufacturing growth and Tokyo headquarters pay moved at different speeds across the region
Tochigi benefits from large manufacturers such as Honda, Nissan, and Canon; Saitama has significant manufacturing and logistics employment; and Ibaraki has major industrial clusters in Tsukuba, Hitachi, and Kashima. Changes in those employment structures may have contributed to wage growth that outpaced Tokyo in relative terms.
Tokyo's own high-wage headquarters, finance, and IT sectors also continued to grow, so rising wages in a surrounding prefecture do not necessarily translate into a higher ratio relative to Tokyo. Chiba also has large internal differences among the northwest, Narita, the waterfront area, and the Boso Peninsula, so a single prefectural average cannot identify one definitive cause.
How to read these figures
Scheduled monthly wages exclude bonuses and overtime pay. The table alone also does not show differences in industry mix, company-size mix, or occupation mix.
The article is organized primarily around published statistical figures. Numerical values directly observable in the statistical tables should be distinguished from interpretations of background factors.
Summary: Some Kanto prefectures narrowed the gap while others fell further behind
From 2020 to 2023, Tochigi, Saitama, and Ibaraki moved closer to Tokyo, while Chiba, Kanagawa, and Gunma fell back in relative terms. The Kanto wage gap did not move in a single direction.
- Tochigi: +1.9 points, the largest improvement
- Saitama: +0.9 points; Ibaraki: +0.6 points
- Kanagawa: -1.3 points; Chiba: -3.6 points
- Ratio changes reflect labor-market composition as well as wage changes, not differences in raises for the same individuals
Source: Published statistics listed in the Analysis notes at the end of this article
📊 Analysis notes
This article is based on the following statistical data.
- Statistics used: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Basic Survey on Wage Structure (Table ID: 0003426933, view on e-Stat)
- Area: Kanto region
- Years: 2020 and 2023
- Data retrieved: June 6, 2026
- Notes: The article is organized primarily around figures from published statistics. Because industry mix, company-size mix, occupation mix, and other factors outside the article also matter, numerical values directly observable in the statistical tables should be distinguished from interpretation.
Chart and table values have been independently aggregated and visualized from the statistical data above.
Table values have been organized from the statistical data above.