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Accountancy clerks

How to become an Accounting Clerk

Also called: Bookkeeper, Accounts clerk

Uses accounting software and systems to handle payments in and out from business with other companies, the company's internal funds and staff pay.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualification is required to start. Many new graduates come from commercial upper secondary schools, from accounting senmon gakko (vocational colleges) or, at university level, from economics, business or commerce. Some people are moved into the accounts department after working in other departments. Mid-career hires are usually expected to have experience, such as being able to handle closing the accounts and financial work. You start with simple tasks such as making out vouchers, keeping the books, doing calculations and totalling figures, and as you gain experience you move on to budgets, closing the accounts and financial planning. It takes several years to master accounting work as a whole and become fully capable. Related qualifications include the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry bookkeeping test (Nissho Boki) and the bookkeeping proficiency test, which are useful in the job. You handle money, so accuracy, attention and carefulness are needed. During busy periods such as the end of the financial year, you also need speed and persistence to meet deadlines.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Accounting Clerk?

No particular education or qualification is required to start. Many new graduates come from commercial upper secondary schools, from accounting senmon gakko (vocational colleges) or, at university level, from economics, business or commerce. Some people are moved into the accounts department after working in other departments. Mid-career hires are usually expected to have experience, such as being able to handle closing the accounts and financial work. You start with simple tasks such as making out vouchers, keeping the books, doing calculations and totalling figures, and as you gain experience you move on to budgets, closing the accounts and financial planning. It takes several years to master accounting work as a whole and become fully capable. Related qualifications include the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry bookkeeping test (Nissho Boki) and the bookkeeping proficiency test, which are useful in the job. You handle money, so accuracy, attention and carefulness are needed. During busy periods such as the end of the financial year, you also need speed and persistence to meet deadlines.

How much does an Accounting Clerk earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥5,122,400 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Accountancy clerks, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become an Accounting Clerk?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 36% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Vocational college (専門学校) course: Bookkeeping and accounting.

Will AI change the work of an Accounting Clerk?

Generative AI could change many tasks in this job, which usually reshapes the work more than it replaces it, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026