Overview

• All 47 prefectures finalized 2025 hourly minimums, marking the first nationwide floor above ¥1,000.
• Thirty-nine prefectures set increases beyond the central guideline of roughly ¥63–64, with larger add-ons reported in regions seeking to stem worker outflow.
• Kumamoto approved the biggest raise at ¥82, followed by Oita at ¥81 and Akita at ¥80.
• Tokyo will have the highest rate at ¥1,226, while Kochi, Miyazaki and Okinawa are lowest at ¥1,023, a ¥203 gap that narrowed from last year.
• Implementation begins in some areas on October 1, but 27 prefectures start in November or later and six will slip into 2026, with Akita effective March 31, 2026; separate July data show real wages rose 0.5% year on year on bonus strength as inflation rose 3.6%.