Technology salaries and hiring trends

2026 Salary Guide

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Japan’s technology and security landscape is shifting quickly as AI, cloud, and cybersecurity drive business transformation. Salaries are rising steadily, with above-market pay increasingly common for high-skill specialists and leadership roles. Traditional mid-level positions are adapting as automation takes hold, pushing demand toward senior experts who can solve complex problems and connect technology to business outcomes.

For candidates, hybrid work has become the norm, and career development through certifications, conferences, and leadership opportunities is now a key differentiator. Hiring managers face challenges of balancing rigid processes and legacy budgets with the need to move fast and secure scarce talent. Competitive salaries, stock options, and compelling missions are proving most effective in attracting and retaining top professionals.

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Starting salaries can vary greatly depending on a professional’s skills and experience, company size and demand for the role. Our salaries do not include bonuses, benefits or perks.

Software Engineering

Technology & Transformation Consulting

Consulting & Technology Services

Technology Firms

Cyber-Security

Cyber-Security Vendor

Data & Analytics

Position title

25th percentile

50th percentile

75th percentile

Backend Engineer

7500000

10500000

15000000

Blockchain Engineer

5200000

8200000

12200000

Cloud Engineer

6300000

8300000

12500000

Cloud Architect

7500000

10500000

15000000

CTO (New Technology)

15000000

18000000

25000000

VP of Engineering

15000000

18000000

25000000

DevOps Engineer

9000000

10500000

12500000

SRE Engineer

7500000

10500000

15000000

Infra Engineer

7500000

10500000

15000000

Engineering Manager

12000000

13500000

15500000

Frontend Engineer

7500000

10000000

12500000

Full Stack Engineer

7500000

9500000

12500000

AI Engineer

8000000

10000000

12000000

Product Manager

9000000

12500000

16500000

QA Engineer

5000000

7000000

9000000

Solution Engineer

8000000

11000000

14000000

UI Designer

5500000

7500000

9500000

UX Designer

5500000

7500000

9500000

Project Manager (Software Engineering)

9000000

11500000

13500000

Mobile App Developer

9000000

11000000

12000000

Database Engineer

8500000

10500000

13500000

Head of Development

12500000

15500000

18500000

Head of Infrastructure

12500000

15500000

18500000

Infrastructure Engineer

6500000

10500000

13500000

Infrastructure Manager

8500000

12500000

16500000

Operations Manager

8500000

12500000

16500000

Virtualization Engineer

6500000

8500000

12500000

25th percentile

The candidate is new to the role or has limited experience and is building necessary skills.

50th percentile

The candidate has moderate experience in the role, meets most requirements or has equivalent transferable skills, and may also have relevant certifications.

75th percentile

The candidate has extensive experience and advanced skills for the role, and may also have specialized certifications.

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Top priorities and in-demand skills in technology

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) forecasts Japan’s generative AI market will grow 47% per year on average through 2030.^* Hiring managers value professionals who not only master technical skills but can also translate them into strategic solutions that boost productivity, strengthen cybersecurity, and drive innovation.

AI adoption, deployment, and integration

Cybersecurity and risk management

Startup growth enabled by AI

Boosting productivity

Machine learning and data engineering

Cloud and platform engineering

Cybersecurity, including identity access management

Ability to translate technical solutions into business outcomes

Hiring challenges and retention strategies for technology

Hiring in Japan’s IT and technology sector is increasingly complex as demand for high-skill talent outpaces supply. Employers are facing rigid hiring processes, rising salary expectations, and shortages in critical areas like cybersecurity and cloud, making it harder to compete for bilingual professionals.

IAM and cybersecurity talent with Japanese proficiency

Salaries exceeding traditional budgets

Competition for bilingual and technical professionals

Lengthy hiring processes, multiple interview rounds

Offering higher salaries or equity packages

Funding access to conferences and training programs

Direct hiring manager involvement in interviews

Sign-on bonuses and a compelling company mission

In Japan, despite automation concerns, domestic companies are increasing technical staff, especially in cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, AI, and data engineering. This reflects both that average roles are being automated and that organizations need higher skilled workers. To compete, employers must offer competitive pay, invest in upskilling, and build strong retention strategies to hold scarce talent.

of Japanese organizations report having staff assigned in cloud, container, or virtualization roles.** of Japanese organizations report having staff assigned in cloud, container, or virtualization roles.**

of Japanese organizations have technical personnel focused on cybersecurity.** of Japanese organizations have technical personnel focused on cybersecurity.**

In-demand roles, certifications and top industries hiring

Japan is experiencing a growing gap in tech, with rising demand for high-skill roles such as AI engineers, cybersecurity experts, cloud specialists, and data engineers while supply continues to lag.

Public sector reports warn this shortfall will deepen through 2030 unless upskilling, recruitment, and retention efforts intensify, and the survey highlights a severe shortage of data scientists and business architects, particularly in non-IT firms, underscoring the urgent need for specialized digital talent. ^***

Key permanent roles in technology driving Japan’s hiring market:

AI Engineer

DevOps / SRE engineer, Backend Engineer, UI/UX Platform Engineer

Cybersecurity Engineer, Information Security Manager

Project / Product Manager

Data Scientist (ML / AI)

Key contract roles in technology driving Japan’s hiring market:

Software Engineer (Front-end / Back-end / Full-stack)

Cloud Engineer, Infrastructure Engineer

Data Scientist (ML / AI)

Project Manager, Product Manager

Japan’s technology sector is placing high value on certified expertise as companies seek to secure scarce high-skill professionals. Government initiatives, such as METI’s plan to double the number of Registered Information Security Specialists by 2030, highlight the urgency in cybersecurity.

At the same time, industry surveys show strong demand for cloud, data, and AI qualifications. Certifications like CISSP, AWS, and Kubernetes credentials are becoming essential markers of technical credibility in Japan’s evolving market.

Top certifications for technology professionals in Japan:

Cloud certification (AWS / GCP / Azure)

CISSP / OSCP

CSM / CSPO

CKA / CKAD / CKS (Kubernetes)

Japan’s hiring momentum for tech talent is strongest in industries driving digital transformation and innovation. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry reports rapid growth in AI-related sectors, while healthcare and biotech are investing heavily in digital tools to boost efficiency and research.

Financial services and fintech continue to expand cybersecurity and data capabilities, and e-commerce platforms are scaling cloud infrastructure to meet rising consumer demand.

Industries driving Japan’s technology hiring in 2026:

Information & communication technology (ICT) / IT vendors

AI & data-driven industries

Finance, fintech, and insurance

Manufacturing, automotive (Smart / Connected Tech)

Healthcare, biotech

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The salary benchmarks listed in Robert Half's Salary Guide are the result of a rigorous, multistep process to ensure our projections accurately reflect the marketplace. They are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has matched with employers across in Japan.

The salaries listed in the salary tables represent starting compensation only, meaning pay for someone new to a company in the position listed. Company size, industry and the availability of remote work options can influence salaries. Our salaries do not include bonuses, benefits or perks. We report salaries in percentiles and ranges, recognizing that professionals join companies at varied experience levels.

Non-salary data referenced in this Salary Guide is based on third-party research and all external data sources are explicitly cited throughout.

Sources:

^*Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). (2024). Considerations on the human resources and skills needed to promote DX in the era of generative AI 2024.

^**The Linux Foundation. (2025). 2025 Report on the state of technical talent in Japan.

^***Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan (IPA). (2024). DX Trends 2024: Worsening shortage of talent driving digital transformation and key challenges.