Your first Japanese pay statement can be hard to read even when you know your monthly salary. Find three figures first: 支給合計 (total pay before deductions), 控除合計 (total deductions) and 差引支給額 (the amount paid to you). In a typical statement, total pay minus total deductions equals the net amount. Then check the work period, hours and individual entries against your contract and records.
A pay statement is usually called 給与明細 (きゅうよめいさい, kyūyo meisai). Layouts and labels differ among employers and payroll systems. The guide below explains common labels for employees in Japan; a contractor’s invoice or payment record may look quite different.
Three parts of a Japanese payslip
| Japanese label | Reading | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 勤怠 | きんたい / kintai | Attendance: days, hours, leave and overtime records |
| 支給 | しきゅう / shikyū | Pay: base salary and applicable allowances |
| 控除 | こうじょ / kōjo | Amounts taken from pay, such as applicable taxes and insurance contributions |
| 支給合計・総支給額 | しきゅうごうけい・そうしきゅうがく | Total gross payment shown on that statement |
| 控除合計 | こうじょごうけい | Total of the listed deductions |
| 差引支給額・振込額 | さしひきしきゅうがく・ふりこみがく | Net payment or transfer amount; check the employer’s label |
For example, if this month’s total payment is ¥280,000 and the deductions shown total ¥50,000, the difference is ¥230,000. Those are illustrative numbers only, not a prediction of your taxes or insurance. A reimbursement, adjustment or separate transfer can make an individual statement more complex.
Common entries in the pay section
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 基本給 | きほんきゅう / kihonkyū | Base pay |
| 時間外手当・残業手当 | じかんがいてあて・ざんぎょうてあて | Overtime pay, if applicable |
| 通勤手当 | つうきんてあて | Commuting allowance, if provided |
| 欠勤控除 | けっきんこうじょ | Pay adjustment for absence where applicable; ask how it was calculated |
Compare the relevant dates and hours with your own record. An allowance may appear under a different name, and the treatment of a payment for tax or insurance purposes is not determined by the English translation alone. Ask payroll for the basis of any unfamiliar line.
Common deductions: what each line refers to
| Japanese | Reading | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 所得税・源泉所得税 | しょとくぜい・げんせんしょとくぜい | Income tax withheld through payroll |
| 住民税 | じゅうみんぜい | Residence tax if collected through your employer; it may instead be paid separately |
| 健康保険料 | けんこうほけんりょう | Employee health insurance contribution when enrolled through work |
| 厚生年金保険料 | こうせいねんきんほけんりょう | Employee pension insurance contribution when covered |
| 雇用保険料 | こようほけんりょう | Employment insurance contribution when covered |
| 介護保険料 | かいごほけんりょう | Long-term care insurance contribution where applicable |
The MHLW’s Japanese–English employment glossary explains withholding income tax, residence tax, health insurance, employees’ pension and employment insurance. Your own coverage and withholding depend on your employment and circumstances. Do not conclude that a blank line automatically means an error. The Japan Pension Service explains that employees’ pension contributions are based on standard monthly remuneration, so a deduction need not be a simple fixed percentage of this month’s take-home pay.
Why might the net amount change?
Check whether the work days, overtime, allowances, absence, a bonus, a tax adjustment or an insurance entry changed. A resident tax line may start or change at a different time from income tax. If you recently joined or left a job, ask which month an insurance deduction relates to rather than guessing from the payment date.
A useful first question to payroll is: この給与明細の控除項目について説明していただけますか。 (Kono kyūyo meisai no kōjo kōmoku ni tsuite setsumei shite itadakemasu ka?) — “Could you explain the deduction items on this pay statement?” For a specific discrepancy: 勤務時間の記録と明細の時間が違うようです。確認していただけますか。 — “The hours on the statement seem different from my record. Could you check?” Include the pay period and the particular line, but share the document only through your employer’s approved channel.
What if a deduction or payment looks wrong?
- Save the statement, contract or written work terms, and your attendance record.
- Check the pay period and whether the figure is a gross or net amount.
- Ask payroll for a written explanation of the specific line and calculation.
- If it remains unresolved, consult an appropriate labor advice service. The Niigata Labour Bureau’s English Q&A explains basic wage payment and deduction rules for foreign workers.
The MHLW guidance for employers of foreign workers calls for understandable explanations of pay calculations and deductions. Other deductions can depend on law or an applicable labor-management arrangement; a label such as “housing” does not by itself tell you whether the amount is correct. Request the underlying explanation.
Starting a new job and sorting out several forms? Our new employee paperwork guide connects the insurance, attendance, payslip and tax steps.
Looking at jobs before you start? Our eikaiwa job comparison guide helps you ask whether quoted lesson pay includes preparation and other duties. If you are applying with a Japanese form, see our rirekisho guide.
