Female Golfers in Japan Earn More Than Male Athletes Amidst Gender Pay Gaps

Female athletes in Japan experience a unique financial edge in the sport of golf, where it's not uncommon for them to earn higher salaries than male athletes. This occurrence stands in stark contrast to nearly all other mainstream sports in Japan, where significant gender pay gaps exist. In a country that ranked 118 out of 148 in a recent gender gap report, many female athletes find themselves needing to supplement their incomes with additional jobs, highlighting the inequalities they face.

For example, take the sport of soccer; the disparity in earnings is striking. The top player in the men's J. League enjoys a salary that is around 40 times higher than that of the highest-paid player in the women's WE League. In 2024, the average annual salary for a player in the J. League’s top division was reported to be approximately ¥31 million, while female players in the WE League earned significantly less, with average salaries ranging only between ¥3 million and ¥4 million.