Japan's Labor Standards Act prohibits sex-based wage discrimination but only for the same work, with no equal-value job-evaluation requirement. Japan ratified ILO Convention 100 in 1967, and ILO bodies have repeatedly criticised the gap between that commitment and its narrower domestic law.
Prohibits sex-based wage discrimination for the same work; no equal-value mandate.
Compensable factors referenced: None.
Japan currently has no job-evaluation mandate: its equal pay protections apply to the same or substantially similar work, not to different jobs of equal value. Multinational employers should note the gap — pay structures that are compliant here may still need equal-value justification in other jurisdictions, and structured job evaluation remains the recognized good practice for building defensible pay systems.
PointFactors implements the analytical, factor-based methodology referenced by pay equity laws worldwide.
Book a DemoInformational summary of legal requirements, not legal advice. Verify against primary sources before relying on it.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-11