Starting March 31, a new regulation now requires Japanese companies to disclose the salaries of employees over ¥100 million (US$1.1 million). Executive salaries in Japan are lower than the astronomical compensation execs receive in the West.
"Companies owe their existence to society," says Shizuka Kamei, the Japanese politician who spearheaded the regulation. "People who are paid a lot should be proud of themselves and the job they do."
According to the Yoimiuri Shimbum, the average salary of execs working at listed Japanese companies is approximately ¥25 million ($280,000). So how does Miyamoto compare?
The Asahi Shimbum lists a total of over $1.1 million (¥100 million) last year paid to all six Nintendo Representative Directors. Included in that is Shigeru Miyamoto. That is grand total of over $1.1 to all of them. Divided evenly, that would be $183,333 each, which is not the typical Nintendo company salary Miyamoto spoke of in 1999. No word on how that $1.1 million plus was split between the six Nintendo representatives.
For comparison's sake, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata made ¥187 million ($2.09 million) last year. Iwata's base salary is ¥68 million ($760,000) significantly higher than the average for an Japanese executive. Nintendo, of course, is not an average company. Iwata received the rest in performance-based bonuses.