Kanpō (官報) · 30 Sep 2026 · 24 vistas
Iwate and Yamagata minimum wages to rise from December 1st
Por FactBox Admin
The regional minimum wages for Iwate Prefecture and Yamagata Prefecture will be increased. The Iwate Labour Bureau and the Yamagata Labour Bureau announced the revision decisions in the Official Gazette dated September 30, raising the rates from 1,031 yen to 1,090 yen per hour for Iwate Prefecture, and from 1,032 yen to 1,092 yen per hour for Yamagata Prefecture. According to the supplementary provisions, both decisions will take effect on December 1, 2026.
The basis for the revision is Article 12 and Article 14, Paragraph 1 of the Minimum Wage Act (Act No. 137 of 1959). This law stipulates the procedure for establishing regional minimum wages for each prefecture and for the Director of the Prefectural Labour Bureau to determine and announce revisions. The targets of this revision are the Iwate Prefecture Minimum Wage (Iwate Labour Standards Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 1 of 1980) and the Yamagata Prefecture Minimum Wage (Yamagata Labour Standards Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 1 of 1980), with the amount in Item 4 being revised for both.
Since the beginning of September, labour bureaus across various regions have been issuing similar public notices in succession. The Akita Labour Bureau announced on September 14 an increase for Akita Prefecture from 1,031 yen to 1,090 yen; the Aomori Labour Bureau and the Nagasaki Labour Bureau announced on September 29 increases from 1,029 yen to 1,090 yen and from 1,031 yen to 1,087 yen, respectively. The Shizuoka Labour Bureau announced on September 15 an increase from 1,097 yen to 1,154 yen, as each bureau sequentially publishes its decisions.
Iwate Prefecture: 59 Yen Increase to 1,090 Yen per Hour
Iwate Labour Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 1 stipulates that “1,031 yen per hour” in Item 4 of the Iwate Prefecture Minimum Wage shall be revised to “1,090 yen per hour.” The notice was issued on September 30, 2026, by Shuji Kawamata, Director of the Iwate Labour Bureau.
- Amount before revision: 1,031 yen per hour
- Amount after revision: 1,090 yen per hour
- Increase amount: 59 yen
- Effective date: December 1, 2026
Yamagata Prefecture: 60 Yen Increase to 1,092 Yen per Hour
Yamagata Labour Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 1 stipulates that “1,032 yen per hour” in Item 4 of the Yamagata Prefecture Minimum Wage shall be revised to “1,092 yen per hour.” This was also announced on September 30, 2026, by Hirokazu Shimada, Director of the Yamagata Labour Bureau.
- Amount before revision: 1,032 yen per hour
- Amount after revision: 1,092 yen per hour
- Increase amount: 60 yen
- Effective date: December 1, 2026
Impact on Workers and Employers
The minimum wage is the lower limit of wages applicable to all workers and their employers working within the prefecture. From December 1 onwards, employers in Iwate and Yamagata Prefectures will be unable to pay wages below the new amounts and will be forced to review wages for employment, including part-time and temporary workers. For workers in both prefectures, the amount of wages received for the same working hours will increase.
Sources
- Official Gazette (dated September 30, 2026) Iwate Labour Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 1
- Official Gazette (dated September 30, 2026) Yamagata Labour Bureau Minimum Wage Public Notice No. 1
- Minimum Wage Act (Act No. 137 of 1959)