Minimum wage could be raised to 755 yen per hour
Mainichi reports that the government is considering raising the minimum wage from 687 yen per hour to 755 yen per hour:
The government is set to submit the proposal on Friday to a round-table committee comprising of representatives from business and labor circles, and the government.
[...]
Regional councils determine the minimum levels of wages in their respective areas based on the target set by the Central Minimum Wages Council. Opinions expressed by the round-table committee have huge influence on a decision on the minimum wage target set by the central council.
The government is seeking to raise the minimum wage, which has been calculated based on the level of livelihood protection of welfare benefits to the level of the minimum starting salary for high school graduates. The national average of the minimum starting salary for high school graduates came to 755 yen per hour in 2007.
For those interested, here’s a quick little chart that compares Japan’s national minimum wage to the legal minimum wages in several other countries (currencies have been converted to yen, and local minimum wage laws are not included):
| Japan | 687 yen per hour |
| U.K. | 1,164 yen per hour |
| France | 1,411 yen per hour |
| United States | 630 yen per hour |
| Taiwan | 369 yen per hour |
| South Korea | 365 yen per hour |
[A chart with many more countries and a comparison of minimum wage to GDP can be found on Wikipedia.]
And here’s a chart from NHK showing growth in the minimum wage from 2000 to 2007:
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I think it’s about 1200 yen in Australia at the moment, at current exchange rates.
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Taiwan rate seems about right, its about NT$ 100 for working at 7-11. Some of the local bakeries are still looking for people at NT$ 80.
The lousiest lunch box here will set you back NT$ 50. But even a toilet sized apartment will cost you NT$ 9000 per month, so that is already 2 weeks of income gone… so only really doable if you are living with your parents in a mountain village.
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In Mexico it’s about 524 yen, but it’s for an entire day, so it have to be like 65 yen per hour. But there’s a lot of people who work for less than the minimum wage.
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The minimum wage is THAT low?! Damn. There go my dreams of becoming a well-living cashier in Japan.
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From my understanding, most baitos in the Tokyo area already pay much more than that, at least around the US $10 equivalent.
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That’s good.. in California it’s $8.00/hr now, about 863 yen/hr.
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That comparison tables pretty useless. It doesn’t take into purchasing power or the fact that whilst the US minimum wage is lower than Japan, US workers get a lot of tips whereas Japanese get next to none.
I look forward to moving back to the UK and being a waiter there doing university; tips if I work at a good restaurant and a higher wage in general (^_^)
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France ? ^^
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hmpf
Germany does not even HAVE a minimum wage
it’s a shame really
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