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Japan Income Tax Guide 2026

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Overview

Japan's income tax system consists of national income tax (所得税) and local inhabitant tax (住民税). The system is progressive with 7 brackets from 5% to 45%. Employers withhold tax monthly, and year-end adjustments reconcile differences.

National Income Tax Brackets

Taxable Income (¥)RateDeduction (¥)
0 – 1,950,0005%0
1,950,001 – 3,300,00010%97,500
3,300,001 – 6,950,00020%427,500
6,950,001 – 9,000,00023%636,000
9,000,001 – 18,000,00033%1,536,000
18,000,001 – 40,000,00040%2,796,000
40,000,001+45%4,796,000

Basic Deduction

The basic deduction is ¥480,000 for most taxpayers. It phases out for high earners:

Social Insurance (社会保険)

Employees must contribute to multiple social insurance schemes. Total contribution is approximately 14-15% of gross salary:

Insurance TypeEmployee RateAnnual Cap
Health Insurance (健康保険)~5%~¥830,000
Pension (厚生年金)9.15%~¥660,000
Employment Insurance (雇用保険)0.6%None
Long-term Care (介護保険)0.8%~¥140,000

Local Inhabitant Tax (住民税)

Local tax is 10% flat (6% prefectural + 4% municipal). It's calculated based on your previous year's income and paid in 4 installments (June, August, October, December).

Tip: Use our Income Tax Calculator to estimate your Japan take-home pay instantly.

Deductions and Credits

Common Deductions

Example Calculation

Annual salary: ¥6,000,000, single, standard deductions:

Year-End Adjustment (年末調整)

For most salaried employees, the employer performs a year-end adjustment in December. This reconciles the year's withheld tax with actual liability. If you overpaid, you get a refund; if you underpaid, additional tax is withheld.

Self-employed individuals and those with income > ¥20 million must file a tax return (確定申告) by March 15.

Filing Requirements

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