Salary Growth for Highly Skilled Professionals in Japan Trails China and Other Markets,
with Some Roles Falling Below Malaysia
Hays Specialist Recruitment Japan (Minato-ku, Tokyo; Managing Director: Grant Torrens; hereinafter “Hays”), a leading global recruitment company, has today published the “2026 Hays Asia Salary Guide”.
This comprehensive report provides salary data for over 1,200 job roles (based on actual figures from Hays) and insights from a survey of over 13,000 working professionals across five key countries and regions in Asia: China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore.
The guide, which Hays publishes annually, marks its 19th edition this year.
Key Salary Insights:
• In the case of highly skilled professionals, such as top IT talent and C-suite executives, salaries in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore often exceed those in Japan.
• Certain manufacturing roles and top IT professionals in Malaysia were also found to earn more than Japan.
• In the case of highly skilled professionals, such as top IT talent and C-suite executives, salaries in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore often exceed those in Japan.
• Certain manufacturing roles and top IT professionals in Malaysia were also found to earn more than Japan.
Figure 1: Sample Salaries for Key IT Roles (Unit: Million JPY)
Figure 2: Salaries for Director Level Roles (Unit: Million JPY)
Figure 3: Salaries for Executive-Level Roles (Unit: Million JPY)
Note:
• Salary figures are based on Hays’ actual data and are shown as minimum and maximum ranges.
• Currency conversions were made using exchange rates as of 17 February 2026.
• Salary figures include total compensation packages.
• Salary figures are based on Hays’ actual data and are shown as minimum and maximum ranges.
• Currency conversions were made using exchange rates as of 17 February 2026.
• Salary figures include total compensation packages.
Key Survey Insights:
• Over the past 12 months, the highest rate of "salary decrease" was observed in China (10 per cent). On the other hand, the highest percentage of “salary increases of 6% or more” was seen in Malaysia (30 per cent), followed by China (20 per cent), Hong Kong (19 per cent ), Singapore (18 per cent ), and Japan (14 per cent). (Figure 4)
• Among the five Asian countries/regions surveyed, Japan had the highest percentage of respondents expressing dissatisfaction with their salary. (Figure 5)
• Among the five Asian countries/regions surveyed, Japan had the highest percentage of respondents expressing dissatisfaction with their salary. (Figure 5)
We are at a point where internal pay adjustments alone are no longer enough to drive genuine satisfaction.
Career mobility is now one of the fastest ways to improve both earnings and the overall work experience.
Figure 4: Pay Increases Over the Last 12 Months
Figure 5: Salary Dissatisfaction rate
2026 Hays Asia Salary Guide
Survey Overview:
• Survey Period: October to November 2025
• Methodology: Online survey
• Respondents: 13,372 working professionals across five Asian countries and regions
• China: 2,273
• Hong Kong SAR: 1,070
• Japan: 3,744
• Malaysia: 4,012
• Singapore: 1,738
• Others: 535
• Survey Period: October to November 2025
• Methodology: Online survey
• Respondents: 13,372 working professionals across five Asian countries and regions
• China: 2,273
• Hong Kong SAR: 1,070
• Japan: 3,744
• Malaysia: 4,012
• Singapore: 1,738
• Others: 535
As digital transformation accelerates globally, companies in Japan are grappling with a severe talent shortage.
89 per cent of organisations in Japan experienced skill shortages in 2025, higher than the Asian average of 87 per cent. Simultaneously, the global war for talent has intensified, with international companies offering attractive compensation packages to secure top talent.
Grant Torrens, Managing Director of Hays Specialist Recruitment Japan, commented:
"The findings of this year’s guide clearly indicate that Japan’s labor market has reached a critical juncture.
The rapid rise of Southeast Asian markets, particularly Malaysia, is striking. We can no longer overlook the fact that salaries for certain specialized roles in these markets are beginning to surpass those in Japan.
For Japan to remain a competitive and attractive destination for talent, there is an urgent need to increase pay transparency and transition toward dynamic compensation structures that align with international standards.
Employers must shift their mindset to view human capital not as a 'cost' to be managed, but as an 'investment' for growth. Hays remains committed to leveraging our data-driven insights to connect organisations in Japan with top tier professionals.”
Hays strongly recommends for companies in Japan to implement remuneration systems that reflect individual performance and skills, in addition to strengthen the organization’s Employer Value Proposition. Adjusting salary to align with international standards will be crucial for maintaining the nation’s competitiveness on a global scale.
For further inquiries, please contact:
Hays Japan Marketing Team
T: 813-4565-5953
E: Natsuko.Arai@hays.co.jp
T: 813-4565-5953
E: Natsuko.Arai@hays.co.jp
About Hays Japan
Hays Specialist Recruitment Japan KK ("Hays Japan"), established in Tokyo in 2001, is one of the largest foreign recruitment companies in Japan with three offices across the country (Tokyo Head Office, Osaka and Yokohama).
At Hays Japan, our experts provide professional services across the private sector, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles, recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), Managed Service Programmes (MSP) and IT solutions in the following 13 specialisms: Accountancy & Finance, Banking & Financial Services, Engineering, Marketing & Digital, Human Resources, Insurance, Legal, Life Sciences, Office Professionals, Property, Sales & Marketing, Supply Chain and Technology. This ensures a highly focused, fully tailored specialist recruitment service, enabling us to power the future of work by serving thousands of companies and candidates in Japan. We continue to strengthen our position in Asia with the world-leading ISO 9001:2015 certification in all our operational markets including Japan, China, Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia, and Singapore.
At Hays Japan, our experts provide professional services across the private sector, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles, recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), Managed Service Programmes (MSP) and IT solutions in the following 13 specialisms: Accountancy & Finance, Banking & Financial Services, Engineering, Marketing & Digital, Human Resources, Insurance, Legal, Life Sciences, Office Professionals, Property, Sales & Marketing, Supply Chain and Technology. This ensures a highly focused, fully tailored specialist recruitment service, enabling us to power the future of work by serving thousands of companies and candidates in Japan. We continue to strengthen our position in Asia with the world-leading ISO 9001:2015 certification in all our operational markets including Japan, China, Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia, and Singapore.
About Hays
Hays plc (the "Group") is the world’s leading specialist in recruitment and workforce solutions. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional, and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK, Germany, and Australia and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As of 31 December 2025, the Group employed over 9,100 staff operating from 198 offices in 30 countries. For the year ended 31 December 2025:
• the Group reported net fees of £453.3 million and operating profit of £20.1 million.
• the Group placed around 21,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 53,000 people into temporary roles.
• 12% of Group net fees were generated in Australia & New Zealand, 32% in Germany, 20% in United Kingdom & Ireland and 36% in Rest of World (RoW).
• the temporary placement business represented 64% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 36% of net fees.
• Technology is the Group’s largest division, with 26% of net fees, while Accountancy & Finance (15%), Construction & Property (12%), and Engineering (10%) are the next largest.
• Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, the UK, and the USA.
• the Group placed around 21,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 53,000 people into temporary roles.
• 12% of Group net fees were generated in Australia & New Zealand, 32% in Germany, 20% in United Kingdom & Ireland and 36% in Rest of World (RoW).
• the temporary placement business represented 64% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 36% of net fees.
• Technology is the Group’s largest division, with 26% of net fees, while Accountancy & Finance (15%), Construction & Property (12%), and Engineering (10%) are the next largest.
• Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, the UK, and the USA.