A breakdown of annual household incomes in Japan showed that around ***** percent of households earned less than *** million Japanese yen per year as of 2023. That year, the average annual household income of Japanese households was approximately *** million Japanese yen.

Adults with 100 thousand to one million U.S. dollars in wealth made up around 53 percent of the Japanese population in 2020, while the second largest share of people were worth between 10,000 and 100,000 dollars. Together, these groups accounted for approximately 86 percent of the population.

Wealth versus income

Wealth, as opposed to income, measures the ownership of assets in a society. Together with GDP, GDP per capita, and household disposable income, it helps to understand the economic well-being of households. Furthermore, the distribution of wealth gives an indication about the degree of equality in a society. Illustrated by its wealth distribution, Japan can be considered relatively equal compared to other countries.

Egalitarian corporate culture

In recent years, wealth inequality has become the subject of increasing focus among policymakers, academics and the general public. While several factors have contributed to the high equality in the country, it is safe to say that the egalitarian ethic in Japanese corporate culture is one of these reasons. This is reflected, for example, in the income structure; Japanese CEOs earn remarkably less than their counterparts in the United Kingdom or the United States. In a ranking of the average income of business leaders worldwide by country, Japan did not even make it into the list of the top ten countries.

In 2023, the gender pay gap for the median wages in Japan was ** percent. Compared to other OECD countries, Japan was one of the countries with the highest gender pay gap during the measured period.

Japan JP: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data was reported at 32.100 % in 2008. Japan JP: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data is updated yearly, averaging 32.100 % from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2008, with 1 observations. Japan JP: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Japan JP: Proportion of People Living Below 50 Percent Of Median Income: % data was reported at 9.100 % in 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 8.700 % for 2010. Japan JP: Proportion of People Living Below 50 Percent Of Median Income: % data is updated yearly, averaging 9.100 % from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2013, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.700 % in 2008 and a record low of 8.700 % in 2010. Japan JP: Proportion of People Living Below 50 Percent Of Median Income: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. The percentage of people in the population who live in households whose per capita income or consumption is below half of the median income or consumption per capita. The median is measured at 2017 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) using the Poverty and Inequality Platform (http://www.pip.worldbank.org). For some countries, medians are not reported due to grouped and/or confidential data. The reference year is the year in which the underlying household survey data was collected. In cases for which the data collection period bridged two calendar years, the first year in which data were collected is reported.;World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.;;The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

This is the replication package for the paper, Kumon (2025) "Adoption, Inheritance, and Wealth Inequality in Pre-industrial Japan and Western Europe" in the Journal of Economic History

Comparing the 130 selected regions regarding the gini index , South Africa is leading the ranking (0.63 points) and is followed by Namibia with 0.58 points. At the other end of the spectrum is Slovakia with 0.23 points, indicating a difference of 0.4 points to South Africa. The Gini coefficient here measures the degree of income inequality on a scale from 0 (=total equality of incomes) to one (=total inequality).The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in more than 150 countries and regions worldwide. All input data are sourced from international institutions, national statistical offices, and trade associations. All data has been are processed to generate comparable datasets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).

Japan JP: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data was reported at 39.700 % in 2008. Japan JP: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data is updated yearly, averaging 39.700 % from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2008, with 1 observations. Japan JP: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Japan JP: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.65 a Day: 2017 PPP: % of Population data was reported at 0.900 % in 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.200 % for 2010. Japan JP: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.65 a Day: 2017 PPP: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 0.900 % from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2013, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.000 % in 2008 and a record low of 0.200 % in 2010. Japan JP: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.65 a Day: 2017 PPP: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. Poverty headcount ratio at $3.65 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $3.65 a day at 2017 international prices.;World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.;;The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

In 2024, Japan had a gender gap index score of 0.57 in the area of economic participation and opportunity, ranking 120th out of 146 nations covered by the global gender gap index. Japan received the lowest score in the area of legislators, senior officials, and managers, which evaluates the ratio of women to men in highly skilled occupations. With 0.77 points, the highest score was achieved in the category of labor force participation rate. Female labor force participation For a long time, Japan relied on the male breadwinner family model to support its post-war economic growth. The model, in which men are responsible for earning an income and women stay at home to take care of the household and children, is still ingrained in people’s perceptions of traditional gender norms. The share of women in the workforce in Japan has increased over the past decades, which is the reason for the rather high score in the category of labor force participation. However, women’s careers tend to be interrupted for a longer period of time upon the birth of their first child, making it difficult for them to return to the career track. Irregular employment among women Significantly more women than men in the workforce are in irregular employment. This means that they work part-time or engage in temporary or contract work where they do not have the same access to social security benefits as regular full-time employees.Given Japan’s seniority-based employment system with long working hours and a lack of child care, many choose to work in jobs that allow them to balance their domestic and professional responsibilities. In fact, the percentage of women in regular employment reaches its highest point in the age group of 25-29-year-olds and then gradually declines after the mean age of childbearing is reached.

Japan PA: Flow: FC: PI: Corp Income Distribution (CD) data was reported at 3,185.900 JPY bn in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,970.700 JPY bn for 2013. Japan PA: Flow: FC: PI: Corp Income Distribution (CD) data is updated yearly, averaging 1,376.100 JPY bn from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2014, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,333.700 JPY bn in 2006 and a record low of 674.000 JPY bn in 1998. Japan PA: Flow: FC: PI: Corp Income Distribution (CD) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Economic and Social Research Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.A085: SNA 1993: Benchmark Year=2005: Income & Outlay Accounts: By Institution: Primary Income Acc Allocation: Annual.

Japan JP: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data was reported at 24.700 % in 2008. Japan JP: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data is updated yearly, averaging 24.700 % from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2008, with 1 observations. Japan JP: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

NDI: OT: Net: Private Non Profit Institutions Serving Households data was reported at 1,950.700 JPY bn in Mar 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,009.800 JPY bn for Dec 2014. NDI: OT: Net: Private Non Profit Institutions Serving Households data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,608.600 JPY bn from Mar 1994 (Median) to Mar 2015, with 85 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,079.900 JPY bn in Sep 2014 and a record low of 1,210.700 JPY bn in Sep 2009. NDI: OT: Net: Private Non Profit Institutions Serving Households data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Economic and Social Research Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.A075: SNA 93: Benchmark Year=2005: Distribution of National Income and National Disposable Income.

In 2022, there were close to 2.6 million high net worth individuals (HNWI) with a net worth of one to five million U.S. dollars in Japan, compared to 77 individuals with a net worth of over 500 million dollars. Japan has a population of 125.85 million.

In 2024, the overall gender gap index score in Japan reached 0.66 points, a slight increase compared to recent years. Japan ranked 118th out of 146 countries covered by the global gender gap index, placing the country far behind other G7 nations. Reasons behind Japan’s low ranking  Japan’s gender gap score in education and health indicated a closed or almost closed gender gap. However, in terms of political empowerment, Japan ranked well below the average global score, placing it among the lowest ranks within East Asia and the Pacific region. A high disparity between men and women in economic participation was another crucial reason for Japan’s poor ranking compared to other industrial nations. The low scores were mainly due to the nation’s small number of female parliamentarians, as well as a low ratio of women in managerial positions. Women in Japan Modern Japanese women enjoy more freedom, have better access to education, and have broader job opportunities compared to previous generations. Yet, traditional gender roles and male favoritism are still pervasive in Japanese culture. Japan's ongoing discussion on gender equality measures, or the lack thereof, is often highlighted in local and international media. The Japanese government currently aims to achieve a significant increase in female proportion in the political, judicial, and economic fields by the end of 2025, targeting 30 percent or more of the female share in a broad range of positions. This might fast-track the long-overdue generational change, which seems necessary to incite diversity in the country.

NDI: NI: Property income (PI) data was reported at 7,832.000 JPY bn in Mar 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 5,515.600 JPY bn for Dec 2014. NDI: NI: Property income (PI) data is updated quarterly, averaging 6,154.800 JPY bn from Mar 1994 (Median) to Mar 2015, with 85 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11,526.100 JPY bn in Mar 1995 and a record low of 4,150.100 JPY bn in Dec 2003. NDI: NI: Property income (PI) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Economic and Social Research Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.A075: SNA 1993: Benchmark Year=2005: Distribution of National Income and National Disposable Income. Changed from SNA 1993 to SNA 2008 Replacement series ID: 383693217

In 2024, the income on inward foreign direct investment (FDI) from Europe to Japan amounted to over *** trillion Japanese yen. North America followed, with income from FDI amounting to around *** trillion yen.

NDI: NI: Compensation of Employees (CE) data was reported at 54,100.100 JPY bn in Mar 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 73,045.000 JPY bn for Dec 2014. NDI: NI: Compensation of Employees (CE) data is updated quarterly, averaging 64,296.400 JPY bn from Mar 1994 (Median) to Mar 2015, with 85 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 80,686.000 JPY bn in Dec 1997 and a record low of 52,086.200 JPY bn in Mar 2010. NDI: NI: Compensation of Employees (CE) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Economic and Social Research Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.A075: SNA 1993: Benchmark Year=2005: Distribution of National Income and National Disposable Income. Changed from SNA 1993 to SNA 2008 Replacement series ID: 383693167

During COVID-19 between March 2020 and March 2022, 28 percent of online international conferences organized in Japan reported an income between one and five million Japanese yen. This was the most common income range for international conferences in that period.

The statistic depicts the results of a survey conducted between May and June 2018 in Japan about people's opinion on the possibility of inequality between rich and poor to worsen due to robots and computers doing much of human's current work. The survey revealed that the majority of respondents, about 83 percent, thought that the economic equality would likely worsen, if robots were able to do much of human labor.