Across all ages, scheduled monthly wages are ¥355,400 in Tochigi, ¥340,600 in Ibaraki, and ¥326,600 in Gunma. The maximum gap is only ¥3,100 among workers aged 20–24, but exceeds ¥50,000 at ages 55–59. This article compares how each prefecture's manufacturing and R&D base shapes the wage curve later in a career.
All-age comparison for the three northern Kanto prefectures (2023, men and women combined)
| Prefecture | Scheduled monthly wages, all ages |
|---|---|
| Tochigi | ¥355,400 |
| Ibaraki | ¥340,600 |
| Gunma | ¥326,600 |
Comparison by age (2023, men and women combined)
| Age group | Ibaraki | Tochigi | Gunma |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20–24 | ¥243,000 | ¥241,300 | ¥239,900 |
| 25–29 | ¥281,500 | ¥282,800 | ¥273,700 |
| 30–34 | ¥322,900 | ¥329,300 | ¥300,700 |
| 35–39 | ¥357,900 | ¥353,600 | ¥333,400 |
| 40–44 | ¥367,900 | ¥385,900 | ¥352,600 |
| 45–49 | ¥366,400 | ¥388,600 | ¥360,700 |
| 50–54 | ¥385,000 | ¥419,100 | ¥366,700 |
| 55–59 | ¥380,200 | ¥431,700 | ¥378,000 |
| 60–64 | ¥323,200 | ¥311,000 | ¥309,300 |
The three prefectures are nearly level in the 20s, but Tochigi pulls ahead in the late 50s
At ages 20–24, wages are ¥243,000 in Ibaraki, ¥241,300 in Tochigi, and ¥239,900 in Gunma. The largest difference is only ¥3,100, so starting wage levels are very similar across the three prefectures.
At ages 55–59, however, wages are ¥431,700 in Tochigi, ¥380,200 in Ibaraki, and ¥378,000 in Gunma. The gap between Tochigi and Gunma expands to ¥53,700. Tochigi shows particularly strong wage growth from the 40s onward and also ranks first across all ages.
Tsukuba, Honda, and SUBARU create three different wage curves
Ibaraki has three major pillars: research institutions and professional jobs in Tsukuba, the Hitachi Group around Hitachi City, and the Kashima coastal industrial zone. In Tochigi, major manufacturers such as Honda, Nissan, and Canon around Haga, Kaminokawa, and Moka help lift the wages of experienced technical and managerial workers in their 50s. In Gunma, SUBARU and its suppliers around Ota and Oizumi form the core manufacturing cluster.
Although all three are manufacturing-oriented prefectures in northern Kanto, their employer and occupational structures differ. Ibaraki has a major research city, Tochigi hosts multiple large manufacturing bases, and Gunma has a powerful auto-industry company-town economy. Even when young-worker wages start at similar levels, the depth of promotion paths, specialist positions, and large-employer career tracks can create a much larger gap 20 years later.
How to read these figures
These statistics measure scheduled monthly wages and exclude bonuses and overtime pay. They are aggregate figures for all industries and both sexes, so this table alone cannot show differences in industrial mix, management composition, employment status, or tenure across the prefectures.
What can be confirmed from the published 2023 figures is that the wage gap among the three northern Kanto prefectures is small in the 20s and widens from the 40s onward, and that Tochigi has the highest all-age figure. Industry-specific data and other breakdowns are needed to examine the causes in more detail.
Summary: The key difference in northern Kanto is not starting pay, but career structure in the 50s
Ibaraki, Tochigi, and Gunma are almost level at the start of a career, but Tochigi is clearly ahead by the late 50s. Long-term differences are shaped not only by starting salaries but also by how many large employers offer pathways into management, research, and highly skilled positions within each prefecture.
- All-age wages rank Tochigi first, followed by Ibaraki and Gunma
- The maximum gap at ages 20–24 is only ¥3,100
- The gap between Tochigi and Gunma reaches ¥53,700 at ages 55–59
- Industrial structures differ across Tsukuba and Hitachi, Haga and Kaminokawa, and Ota and Oizumi
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2023)
📊 Analysis notes
- Statistics used: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Basic Survey on Wage Structure (Table ID: 0003426933, view on e-Stat)
- Areas: Ibaraki, Tochigi, and Gunma prefectures
- Year: 2023
- Data retrieved: June 6, 2026
- Notes: The article primarily organizes published statistical values. Interpreting the background also involves factors outside the table, such as industrial structure, management composition, and employment status, so directly observable figures should be distinguished from interpretation.
Figures in charts and tables were independently compiled and visualized from the statistical data above.