Japanese lawmakers earned average of ¥24.16 million last year

Are you surprised they don't understand the average Tanaka if they make nearly 5 times the median income! When there is such a huge income discrepancy between politicians and the working class they'll never be able to improve people's lives

Being a politician is not supposed to mean squeezing money from the peasant.

Apparently so in medieval Japan.

I was a high earner in Japan and was making less than twice that much...with no perks.

?. ****@JP 7:03am “I was making less than twice that much…”

Double, the same, half, … can you clarify? (We are both ESL/JSL)

“Being a politician is not supposed to mean squeezing money from the peasant. Apparently so in medieval Japan.

Yeah... So what? American politicians and even junior senetors make more than that.

Are ‘The People’ supposed to ‘feel sorry for them’ by this ‘news’ (PR)? . . .

“J lawmakers earned an avg of 24.16m yen last year, down 110k yen from 2019, with the salary cut by 20% since May ‘20 amid pandemic. Their avg income marked a decline in’20 for the 2md straight year.” -

. . . or, revile them more for their continued stalled & ineffectiveness in the last 18 months?

Now after BLM we need to push the envelope to SCM (social class matters)! Politicians that live in luxury on the taxes of the "peasants" while dreaming of gold-plated pensions will scarcely spare a thought to improving the living conditions for the mass of the population mired in the daily struggle to pay their bills and raise families. Shameless isn't the word, but then again, capitalism "means never having to say you're sorry"!

Would be useful to know the breakdown into Diet member salaries and income from other sources. Why is this key info left out? Also, the median number would be more enlightening than the average, but this is the Japanese media, afterall.

UNBELIEVABLE!!!

That is roughly 2,013,333 JPY/mth. for just showing up and shuffling papers, while the U.S president makes 3,666,666 JPY/mth. an extra ( 1,653,333 ) JPY/mth. for leading 332,929,000people and the largest economy in the world, and a U.S. congressman only makes 1,595,000 JPY/mth. that is ( 418,000 ) JPY/mth below his Japanese counterpart.

These members are still way over paid, and another 20% ~ 35% cut in salary is more than appropriate, especially when the average monthly income for a Japanese salary man in Tokyo area is about 325,000 JPY/mth.

Takers of peoples money.

This is only 10% what ministers make in Singapore. And there sure isnt 10x more performance.

Just to make it clear - this income is before they receive the hundred different allowances ( those are not included ) that can double to triple their salary and also excludes any other income outside their parliament salary ( real estate, stocks etc )...so this published figure doesnt come anywhere close to what they actually earn in reality. The average Taro would have a heart attack if they knew the real figure.

Exactly. And on top of that, they show up to the DIET and then SLEEP.

Disgusting

@Mark, i am not so sure about you claims. Suga as prime minister earn 38.71mill yen a year which is around $348k. But a US president earn 400k a year + also granted a $50,000 annual expense account, $100,000 nontaxable travel account and $19,000 for entertainment.

So in my opinion is that that bad as you mention. You are forgetting that US lawmakers have a lot of side benefits that you haven't included. Usually is not the salary but the other benefits that the US lawmakers enjoy.

Let me state this clearly.Most salaries in Japan are below 250,000 per month.

Just go to any hellowork or look at any kyujin.

237,000

190,000

220,000

Jikyu 1,150円,1,200円,残業25%up and zangyou is after 2200hrs.etc.

Those getting over 300,000 per month are in professional fields.

English teaching and combini baito are the same.Break down your monthly salary to number of days then hrs worked.You're getting shafted.Living from hand to mouth.

That's why you find yourself cursing,punching walls and swearing when you get back to your cardboard apaato after slaving the whole day while drinking cheap hapoushu and chuuhai.

Exactly. And on top of that, they show up to the DIET and then SLEEP.

Spot on. Not just at home but overseas as well. Abe sleeping at the UN meeting? Embarrassment.

Let me state this clearly. Most salaries in Japan are below 250,000 per month.

That's nothing. I earn at least 3 times that amount.

Wow... how about raising minimum wage ?

With all the extra income they seem to be generating, it sounds a lot like they don't need to receive a political salary.

Imagin that! It's no wonder these leaches stay until well over 65. Why wouldn't you?, and get lauded as someone "Special" satisfying both their pockets and need for validation. In the job market with their personal skills they would be lucky to wave a glow stick.

Does this include bribes?

Poor reporting as is the standard with Kyodo. Here is data from last year.

The basic monthly salary is ¥1,294,000 (¥15,528,000 annually). In addition, the annual bonus is ¥6,350,000. So the total annual income amounts to ¥21,878,000. Converted to U.S. dollars for the sake of comparison, the annual income of a Japanese lawmaker (about $201,800) is higher than that of a comparable legislator in the United States ($174,000), South Korea ($105,000), Germany ($102,600) and the United Kingdom ($91,200).

Their bonus is twice what normal people make in a year... what a crock.

The 24 million average we are told is including other income sources not just their salary. Regardless, their salary with bonus of 21.8 million is 7 times the national average. That's before their "seikatsuhi"

Compared to other countries (POL/AVG)

UK 2 times ($91,200/$43,508.68)

Korea 2.5 times ($105,000/$42,285)

Germany 2 times. ($102,600/$49,792.81)

Comparing the politician to other civil servant (POL/TEACHER)

Japan 5 times (¥21,878,000/¥4,280,000)

UK 2 times ($91,200/$41,127)

Korea 3 times ($105,000/$31,571.47)

Germany 2 times ($102,600/$53,424.32)

A municipal level politician from Chiba makes ¥8,760,000 before bonuses and ¥1.99 million a year as seikatsuhi on average. They are in session for 83 days a year.

What are Japanese politicians doing to justify such high salaries? A municipal politician here is payed more than a national politician in other countries. The average national politician here is paid more than the PM of the UK.

They were paid that amount, they did not earn it in the majority of cases.

Disgusting

Just to make it clear - this income is before they receive the hundred different allowances ( those are not included ) that can double to triple their salary and also excludes any other income outside their parliament salary ( real estate, stocks etc )...so this published figure doesnt come anywhere close to what they actually earn in reality. The average Taro would have a heart attack if they knew the real figure.

Yes. on top of Salary and Bonus, They receive

Transportation/travel/communication/documentation: 12mil/year

Political party subsidy: 10mil/year

Party for funding: depends on each

Donation: depends on each

Others and personal (Publishing, Lecture, etc) depends on each

So even a freshman lawmaker makes roughly 50 mil/year, typical professional oyaji makes over 100 mil easy.

Too many useless lawmakers both national level and regional level, That is for sure.

Shouldn't they publish their salaries and bonuses?

There's a law there from 2018 that forces you to disclose everything.

Ghosn can tell you about that.

@Ken

That sounds about right, factoring in bonuses (which have been cancelled since covid) I am hovering around 300,000/mo, and that is with a Masters degree. Less just in terms of raw salary. It's fine for me honestly, it is already more than I could really spend but there is no way anybody needs like 10x that amount.

I cannot fathom making what these politicians make. My job caters to quite a few of them and seeing the amount they spend on things is absolutely staggering.

Let me state this clearly.Most salaries in Japan are below 250,000 per month.

Just go to any hellowork or look at any kyujin.

While multiple industries and the workers salaries are in a race to the bottom, politicians and financiers are flush. Coincidence?

And these are ony the legally declared earnings . . . .

How many other 'perks' are they on that the rest of us have to pay for?

Apparently so in medieval Japan.

When I first came to Japan in the bubble years, my sponsor bragged Japan had one of the world's smallest pay gaps between a company's execs and its lowest paid workers.

Unfortunately that is not among the carry-overs from the bubble years. Now Japan seems to have aped the US in terms of paying huge sums and giving even more perks to its execs and doing whatever possible to suppress the wages and limit the perks of those at companies' lower levels.

They were paid that amount, they did not earn it in the majority of cases.

In any of the cases. I work in IT recruitment, and for people to be earning 24M yen as a total salary package, they need to be highly performing sales people or director level sales people who consistently hit or overachieve their targets. These cockroaches in this article, starting with Senile Suga as an example, are barely worth 10% of their salaries.

What's laughable is when people try and defend these outrageously high salaries of politicians by saying "they have to be relatively high or it would be easy to bribe them."

What's laughable is when people try and defend these outrageously high salaries of politicians by saying "they have to be relatively high or it would be easy to bribe them."

My FIL is one of those Japanese politicians and understandably, says the same thing all the time.

"Are you surprised they don't understand the average Tanaka if they make nearly 5 times the median income! When there is such a huge income discrepancy between politicians and the working class they'll never be able to improve people's lives"

and yet the income gap in Japan is much narrow than in the West? Yet Japan add three years of life expectancy and the us lost life expectancy(U.S. life expectancy decreased by an 'alarming' amount during pandemic) https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/u-s-life-expectancy-decreased-alarming-amount-during-pandemic-n1272206

Please explain.

"Japan had one of the world's smallest pay gaps between a company's execs and its lowest paid workers."

It still does.

US Ceo pay gap 320 times.

Japan pay gap 11

https://www.statista.com/statistics/424159/pay-gap-between-ceos-and-average-workers-in-world-by-country/

"Being a politician is not supposed to mean squeezing money from the peasant"

it does in the stone age west.

Japanese lawmakers earned an average of 24.16 million yen in income last year, down 110,000 yen from 2019

Gosh! How on Earth can they survive?

How can any kind of government worker get a bonus???

What is this? Profit sharing?

and the avg income for a US Congressman?

The typical congressional representative – including both senators and House members – has an estimated net worth of over $500,000, or roughly five times the median U.S. household net worth.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/10/25/richest-members-of-congress-by-net-worth/40290533/

Japan 240,000

US 500,000.

2x Japan.

@CaptData

and yet the income gap in Japan is much narrow than in the West?

First It's not. See my post above. Now when you say west I assume you mean America. So, The U.S. Census Bureau lists the annual real 2019 median personal income at $35,977 average politician $174,000. Japan ¥3,308,083 vs ¥21,878,000

America 4.83 times

Japan 6.61 times.

Secondly it's universally accepted in the "West" that America is a dumpster fire of a country and should never be used as a standard. Most Western countries' politicians are paid twice the average annual salary.

They RECEIVED said high incomes, but doubtful the citizenry would say that the income was EARNED.

The poor beggars! They lost 10 grand off there quarter of a million salaries. How will they survive?

The average income of LDP lawmakers stood at 27.27 million yen last year, up 1.19 million yen from 2019, hitting the highest level among nine parties for the fourth straight year. 

The LDP Government kept filling their pockets while the common Japanese citizens suffered the hardship from corona virus through job losses and drastic decline in salary. Yet, these LDP politicians didn’t push their own Government for cash handouts and more financial assistance for the citizens. If it wasn’t for the smaller coalition partner Komeito party, then the 100,000yen wouldn’t have been given out as well! It’s just a shame that being the top 3 countries in the world in terms of economy and infrastructure the Japanese Government didn’t provide round 2 financial handouts!

That’s for sitting there. If you expect work or even qualified engagements you should stop complaining and pay triple of those amounts. lol

But have they earned the money they made? What laws have they made recently that have improved the lives of the average Japanese worker or their constituents? Just curious.

5x the average wage is a big differential, but nothing like you see in the private sector, particularly in other countries.

We're not talking about the private sector here, but about government elected officials. Two different things.

and the avg income for a US Congressman?

The typical congressional representative – including both senators and House members – has an estimated net worth of over $500,000, or roughly five times the median U.S. household net worth.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/10/25/richest-members-of-congress-by-net-worth/40290533/

Japan 240,000

US 500,000.

2x Japan.

This is kind of an apples and oranges comparison though. "Net worth" (how much wealth you own) and "income" (how much you earn in a given year) are significantly different things. So to figure out how different Japanese an American lawmakers are financially we'd have to compare either their net worth or their income, not compare the net worth of one with the income of the other.

?. *****@JP 7:03am* “I was making less than twice that much…”

Double, the same, half, … can you clarify? (We are both ESL/JSL)

Technically, anyone earning median wage makes less than twice as much as the lawmakers. Anyone making less than 48.32 million yen would qualify.

Oh no politicians are making an income up to more than 200,000 dollars! An average income of salaried workers is around 40,000 dollars. what an difference! Most income of them is financed by salaried workers' blood shed taxes under the pandemic!!

Let me get out my tiny violin and play em a tune...poor lawmakers awww God forbid they get any poorer...( Yeah I'm being sarcastic)

Japanese lawmakers earned an average of 24.16 million yen in income last year, down 110,000 yen from 2019, parliamentary data showed Wednesday, with the salary of Diet members cut by 20 percent since May 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

So what? Are we supposed to cry? They are getting way over paid to do what all year? Make no rational decisions?

How about you cut their pay even more?

Cut it by 75% and let them work on incentives of doing actual good work?

Make them earn their money, instead of just legally stealing it.

That sounds about right, factoring in bonuses (which have been cancelled since covid) I am hovering around 300,000/mo, and that is with a Masters degree. 

What?!? That is all you get paid and have a masters degree? My retirement monthly check is double that, and I only worked 14 years! You need to realize you are getting raped.

That is all you get paid and have a masters degree? My retirement monthly check is double that, and I only worked 14 years!

The previous poster's salary is common nowadays, even with a postgrad degree, and even for people who have worked more years than you did. Today's workers just aren't as well compensated as your generation was.

And a US president only makes $400,000 a year. But no living expenses, everything is covered by Uncle Sam. US Presidents make all their money after leaving office

Good grief! That’s a ton of money for a group that prove themselves so inept at governing.

Does any one feel sorry that these leaches, sorry politicians income has dropped? .......me neither!

Hang on though - this article is about whatever else Japanese politicians are earning on top of their official salaries and allowances. Admittedly I think one Diet member's official salary is much more than the whole lot of them together are worth, but I'm not too bothered about money they're making on the side unless there are vested interests involved.

@Gaijinjland

But no living expenses, everything is covered by Uncle Sam. 

Meals and toilet papers are not included. This is why Trump was ordering McDonald's, for real.

https://www.delish.com/food-news/a25168939/first-families-pay-for-food-in-white-house/

First Families Pay For Their Own Food In The White House, FYI

Former first lady Michelle Obama spills the tea in her new book.