Art Director
Median ¥9,500,000 across 2 guides
Two of the five published 2026 Japan salary guides price this role: Hays and Michael Page. The consensus median sits at ¥9,500,000 and the published figures span ¥6,000,000 to ¥12,000,000.
The guides differ meaningfully on this role, with ¥6,000,000 between the lowest and highest published figure. Each guide surveys its own placements and draws its own role boundaries, which is why published ranges differ.
Fee and total acquisition cost on the consensus median of ¥9,500,000
Contingency Search (35%)
Multiple agencies working one role
Typical range: 30-40%
Exclusive Search (25%)
A single trusted agency
Typical range: 20-30%
Fee is industry-typical for the engagement model, computed on theoretical annual salary; not attributed to any single guide.
Median ¥9,500,000 across 2 guides
Median ¥9,500,000 across 2 guides
Median ¥10,000,000 across 2 guides
Median ¥10,250,000 across 2 guides
Median ¥10,500,000 across 2 guides
Median ¥10,500,000 across 2 guides
The full discipline table with every benchmarked role
The narrative guide: market context, fee math and hiring notes
¥9,500,000 is the consensus median from 2 published 2026 guides. Published figures sit between ¥6,000,000 and ¥12,000,000.
At the industry-typical contingency rate of 35% of theoretical annual salary, the fee on the median comes to ¥3,325,000. An exclusive engagement at 25% comes to ¥2,375,000. These rates are market norms and are never drawn from a named salary guide.
Hays and Michael Page include this role in their 2026 Japan editions. The consensus shown here draws only on those published figures.
Each guide surveys its own placements and draws its own role boundaries, which is why published ranges differ. The spread shown is the gap between the lowest and highest published figure, never a modelled band.
31 live openings matching this role title, at 10 companies in Japan
Drawn from the 38 postings matching this role title, at 13 companies hiring in Japan.
State a Japanese Level
Native/Fluent (Native or JLPT N1)
21%
Professional Working Proficiency (JLPT N2)
11%
No mention
68%
State an English Skill
Native/Fluent (TOEIC 945-990)
3%
Professional Working Proficiency (TOEIC 785-944)
55%
Limited Working Proficiency (TOEIC 550-784)
11%
Mentioned, level not specified
3%
No mention
29%
Share of postings stating each term
Market Research
45%
Brand Management
39%
Stakeholder Management
34%
PowerPoint
32%
Excel
29%
Project Management
26%
KPI Management
16%
Data Analysis
13%
Digital Marketing
13%
CRM
8%
Share of postings stating each term
3-4 years of experience
45%
5-9 years of experience
24%
University degree
18%
1-2 years of experience
11%
Master's degree
8%