Japan's chip pay is rising as JASM and Rapidus compete for engineers. Here are typical annual totals in 2026, how monthly pay and bonuses combine, and how foreign multinationals compare.
Japanese offers quote a monthly salary. Annual pay adds summer and winter bonuses, often 3–6 months of salary in total.
Fixed starting salaries for new graduates by degree; mid-career offers are negotiated.
Paid in summer and winter, often 3–6 months of salary combined at large firms.
Housing, family and commuting allowances are common.
Often paid on top for non-managers.
| EXPERIENCE | JAPANESE IDMs / SUPPLIERS | NEW FABS (JASM, RAPIDUS) | FOREIGN MULTINATIONALS |
|---|---|---|---|
| New graduate | ¥4.0–5.0M | ¥4.5–6.0M | ¥5.5–8.0M |
| 2–4 years | ¥5.0–6.5M | ¥5.5–7.5M | ¥7.0–10M |
| 5–8 years | ¥6.0–8.0M | ¥7.0–9.5M | ¥9.0–13M |
| 8–12 years | ¥7.5–10M | ¥8.5–12M | ¥11–16M |
| 12+ / manager | ¥9.0–13M | ¥10–15M | ¥14M+ |
JASM's widely reported starting salaries (about ¥280,000 a month for bachelor's, ¥320,000 for master's and ¥360,000 for PhD graduates) set a new benchmark in Kyushu.
Annual totals at large employers.
| ROLE | NEW GRAD | ~5 YEARS | ~10 YEARS | WHERE THE JOBS ARE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Process / integration | ¥4.5–6.0M | ¥7.0–9.5M | ¥8.5–12M | JASM, Rapidus, Kioxia, Sony |
| Equipment engineering | ¥4.5–5.8M | ¥6.5–9.0M | ¥8.0–11M | Tokyo Electron, SCREEN, fabs |
| Device / memory design | ¥4.8–6.2M | ¥7.0–9.8M | ¥9.0–12.5M | Kioxia, Sony |
| Digital / SoC design | ¥4.8–6.2M | ¥7.0–9.8M | ¥9.0–12.5M | Renesas, Socionext |
| Analog / mixed-signal | ¥4.8–6.2M | ¥7.0–9.8M | ¥9.0–12.5M | Renesas, Rohm, Sony |
| Test (ATE) | ¥4.5–5.8M | ¥6.5–9.0M | ¥8.0–11M | Advantest, fabs |
Tokyo-area pay is highest; Kyushu pay has risen fastest because of JASM.
Foreign companies in Tokyo usually pay more but with less job security.
New-graduate salaries are set by degree, with April start dates.
Ask how many months of bonus were paid last year.
Career growth at Japanese firms depends heavily on Japanese.
JASM has pushed up engineering pay around Kumamoto.
The Highly Skilled Professional visa rewards degree, salary and experience.
Typically ¥4.5–6.0 million a year including bonuses at large employers in 2026. JASM's reported starting salaries are about ¥280,000 a month for bachelor's and ¥320,000 for master's graduates.
Usually yes, often 20–40% more, but with less of the job security and seniority-based progression typical of Japanese employers.
Sources and method. Publicly reported JASM starting salaries; Japanese company recruiting pages for new-graduate pay; self-reported data on Glassdoor Japan and OpenWork. Ranges are rounded and cover typical offers. Ranges are rounded, and they cover typical offers rather than outliers at either end. We revisit this page every quarter. If your offer is well outside a range, tell us, anonymously if you prefer, and we'll use it to improve the data.