Average Hourly Wage for Dispatch Workers in May 2026 Reaches ¥1,717, Highest in Four Months. Five Job Categories Set New Records.

En Corporation (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President and Chairman: Michikatsu Ochii), which operates Japan's largest temporary job search site 'En Haken' (https://haken.en-japan.com/), has compiled and analyzed average hourly wage data for all job types (※) listed on the site, categorized by region (※). The results for May 2026 are now available.

※Job types and regions as classified on 'En Haken'

TOPICS

- The average hourly wage in the three major urban areas is ¥1,717, marking the 44th consecutive month of year-on-year growth. - A four-month high, with five job categories, including office work, setting new records. - High-end job postings, comparable to regular employee roles, are expanding into the dispatch sector, driving up average wages.

Overview

In May 2026, the average hourly wage in the three major urban areas reached ¥1,717 (up ¥4 or 0.2% from the previous month, up ¥14 or 0.8% from the same month last year), the highest on record. This marks the 44th consecutive month of year-on-year growth.

Office and administrative jobs recorded a record high of ¥1,705 (up ¥9 from the previous month, up ¥35 year-on-year). The rise is attributed to increased job complexity and specialization across office roles. For example, in 'planning and marketing,' positions offering over ¥5,000 per hour—comparable to high-end regular employee roles—have emerged. Additionally, 'reception' roles saw a significant ¥50 year-on-year increase, driven by rising inbound tourism demand, with more postings seeking language skills despite no prior work experience required.

Sales, retail, and service jobs also hit a new high at ¥1,668 (up ¥10 from the previous month, up ¥35 year-on-year). Rising inbound demand has increased the need for multilingual skills, boosting demand for specialized talent in areas like 'travel-related' roles (¥1,672), which has lifted overall wage levels. 'Sales, planning sales, and route sales' roles rose by ¥36 year-on-year, reflecting ongoing wage growth amid labor shortages.

Looking ahead, job postings in travel and event-related fields are expected to become more active as summer vacation and other long holiday seasons approach. High-paying roles requiring specialized skills, such as language proficiency, are expected to remain at elevated levels.

All job categories in the three major urban areas showed year-on-year and month-on-month growth, with five categories setting new records.

Regional average hourly wages for May 2026 increased both year-on-year and month-on-month across all areas.

- May 2026: Job Category vs. Year-on-Year Hourly Wage Increase Ranking - May 2026: Job Category vs. Hourly Wage Ranking

Japan's Largest Job Site Specializing in Dispatch Work: 'En Haken' https://haken.en-japan.com/

'En Haken' is Japan's largest job aggregation site connecting job seekers with staffing agencies nationwide. The platform is designed to match diverse job seeker needs with agency job listings, ensuring no opportunity is overlooked and reaching the right temporary workers.

※Job classifications were partially revised starting October 2025, including new categories and name changes, while maintaining continuity for time-series comparisons.

Press Release Download

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Average Hourly Wages in Areas Outside the Three Major Urban Areas

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En Corporation

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