WWII: Japanese military wages by rank 1944
In the Second World War, Japanese military wages were considered low in comparison to U.S. or European wages. A Japanese Army general received a basic pay of 550 yen per month (or roughly 126.5 U.S. dollars), whereas the lowest class of private received just six* yen per month (or 1.38 U.S. dollars). The source notes, however, that living costs were lower in Japan, and that additional pay was available for service personnel based on factors such as location, length of service, and specialized roles.