In Tokyo, the monthly wage gap between companies with 1,000 or more employees and those with 10–99 employees is only ¥5,800 at ages 20–24, but widens to ¥103,200 at ages 55–59. The all-age difference appears small at ¥14,400, so looking only at the overall average can hide the much steeper long-term wage curve at large companies.
Scheduled monthly wages in Tokyo by company size and age (2023, men and women combined)
| Age | 1,000+ employees | 100–999 | 10–99 | 1,000+ minus 10–99 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All ages | ¥400.1k | ¥399.6k | ¥385.7k | ¥14.4k |
| 20–24 | ¥267.3k | ¥266.2k | ¥261.5k | ¥5.8k |
| 25–29 | ¥321.8k | ¥318.4k | ¥307.2k | ¥14.6k |
| 30–34 | ¥362.5k | ¥355.3k | ¥338.6k | ¥23.9k |
| 35–39 | ¥411.4k | ¥398.7k | ¥371.2k | ¥40.2k |
| 40–44 | ¥449.6k | ¥428.3k | ¥392.4k | ¥57.2k |
| 45–49 | ¥487.3k | ¥456.1k | ¥409.7k | ¥77.6k |
| 50–54 | ¥512.8k | ¥477.9k | ¥421.3k | ¥91.5k |
| 55–59 | ¥531.6k | ¥497.2k | ¥428.4k | ¥103.2k |
By the late 50s, the company-size gap is about 18 times the gap among younger workers
At ages 20–24, wages are ¥267,300 at large companies and ¥261,500 at small companies, almost the same level. The gap expands to ¥40,200 at ages 35–39 and ¥77,600 at ages 45–49.
At ages 55–59, large-company wages reach ¥531,600 compared with ¥428,400 at small companies. Companies with 100–999 employees also rise to ¥497,200. Tokyo's midsize employers pay relatively well, but company-size differences become increasingly clear later in a career.
In Tokyo, headquarters functions matter more than company size alone for long-term wage growth
Large corporate headquarters, finance and trading companies, and foreign-affiliated firms concentrated in Chiyoda, Minato, and Chuo often have more departments, management layers, and specialist grades. These structures create positions that allow pay to continue rising into the 50s. Small firms may offer competitive salaries to young recruits, but differences can emerge later in the depth of job grades, promotion tracks, and retirement-benefit systems.
The small all-age gap partly reflects different age structures across company sizes. For job decisions, wages for your own age group, the ceiling on future raises, and available managerial or specialist career tracks are more useful than a single average for all employees.
How to read these figures
The figures in this article are published values for the stated year, area, and aggregation. Averages and rankings are affected by age composition, household composition, industry and company-size mix, and sample size. They should be read as baseline data under comparable conditions, not as predictions for an individual or household.
Summary: The large-company advantage in Tokyo is the ability for wages to keep rising into the 50s
In Tokyo, the wage gap by company size is small at the start of a career but exceeds ¥100,000 per month by the late 50s. The value of a large employer appears not only in current pay, but over a long career through raises, managerial and specialist roles, and retirement benefits.
- Gap at ages 20–24: ¥5,800
- At ages 40–44: ¥57,200
- At ages 55–59: ¥103,200
- The all-age difference of ¥14,400 does not capture the long-term gap
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)
- Area: Tokyo
- Year: 2023
- Data retrieved: June 6, 2026
- Notes: The article primarily organizes published statistical values. Interpreting the background also involves factors outside the table, including industrial and occupational composition, so directly observable figures should be distinguished from interpretation.
Figures in charts and tables were independently compiled and visualized from the statistical data above.