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Japan immigration

Foreign workers in Japan face 28% wage gap: government paper

Less experience and lack of flexibility to change jobs seen weighing on pay

Participants in Japan's technical intern training program for foreign workers earned 26% less than Japanese nationals. (Photo by Rie Ishii)

TOKYO -- Foreign nationals in Japan earn less than their Japanese counterparts even after controlling for such factors as education and experience, according to a recent government report covering an area at the center of intense policy debate.

The Cabinet Office's economic white paper for fiscal 2024 includes for the first time a section focusing specifically on Japan's more than 2 million foreign workers, finding that they earn 28% less than Japanese nationals.

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