Take-home pay: Japan vs United States (2026)
These currencies are too far apart for the same nominal number to mean anything, so this page converts at the European Central Bank reference rate of 2026-11-04: 178.3 yen to the euro and 1.1267 dollar to the euro. The tax rules themselves are applied in local currency and never touch that rate, but it does decide which local salary each row lands on, so the percentages below would shift if the rate did. The local currency table further down shows exactly what was computed.
Comparison at five salary levels
| Gross (EUR equivalent) | Japan net | rate | United States net | rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €30,000 | €23,499 | 21.7% | €26,040 | 13.2% |
| €45,000 | €33,467 | 25.6% | €38,092 | 15.4% |
| €60,000 | €43,349 | 27.8% | €50,047 | 16.6% |
| €80,000 | €55,255 | 30.9% | €64,117 | 19.9% |
| €120,000 | €77,282 | 35.6% | €92,019 | 23.3% |
What was actually computed, in local currency
| Gross (EUR) | Japan gross | Japan net | United States gross | United States net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €30,000 | JP¥5,349,000 | JP¥4,189,953 | $33,801 | $29,339 |
| €45,000 | JP¥8,023,500 | JP¥5,967,150 | $50,702 | $42,919 |
| €60,000 | JP¥10,698,000 | JP¥7,729,161 | $67,602 | $56,388 |
| €80,000 | JP¥14,264,000 | JP¥9,852,014 | $90,136 | $72,241 |
| €120,000 | JP¥21,396,000 | JP¥13,779,438 | $135,204 | $103,678 |
What the rates don't tell you
Japan: under 40, Tokyo health insurance rates, bonuses excluded, residence tax at steady state (2026). United States: single filer, federal taxes only (state varies from 0% to 13%+) (2026). Deduction rates buy different things (public healthcare, pension promises, insurance), and converting currency compares what the same money yields, not what the same job pays: salary levels and living costs differ far more than the tax gap. For your own inputs use the Japan and United States calculators, or the multi-country comparison tool.
One salary at a time
Each of these breaks a single salary right down: every deduction line on both sides, monthly figures, the marginal rate at that point, and the gross you would need on the other side to be no worse off.
Frequently asked questions
Is it financially better to work in the United States?
Not on this evidence alone. This compares deduction rates only. Gross pay for the same role, living costs, healthcare and pension value differ far more between Japan and the United States than the tax gap shown here, and converting a salary does not make the two places equivalent to live in.
What exchange rate is used?
The European Central Bank euro reference rate of 2026-11-04, which is 178.3 yen to the euro and 1.1267 dollar to the euro. It is pinned rather than live, so it is reproducible, but it does drift away from the market as time passes.
Does the exchange rate change the deduction rates?
Yes, indirectly, and it is worth knowing how. The tax rules are applied in local currency and never touch the exchange rate. But the rate decides which local salary each row lands on, and both systems are progressive, so a weaker yen would push those rows further up the scale and raise the percentage shown. The conversion is not a cosmetic layer over a fixed answer.
Computed 2026-11-05 by the same engines as the national calculators (see the comparison methodology). Exchange rates: European Central Bank euro reference rates, 2026-11-04.