Maternity Leave in Japan: An Easy Guide For Working Parents

Working parents in Japan can receive leave from their work to take care of their newborn children. 

However, many questions pop up: How long is maternity leave in Japan? Is there paternity leave in Japan? Can both parents take leave?

This easy guide answers all those questions and more.

Family care leave in Japan

Japan's Child Care and Family Care Leave Law allows parents to take leave from work to care for their children and family members in need.

Both parents in Japan are entitled to a maximum of one year of parental leave. Maternity and paternity leave can occur before and after birth. Afterward, it becomes childcare leave until the child is one year old.

Maternity leave (産前産後休業)

Translate image from LifeNet Seimei

In Japan, the statutory maternity leave (産前産後休業, sango kyūgyō) is separated into two parts:

• Prenatal period: 6 weeks before the expected due date.

• Postnatal period: 8 weeks after birth.

After the postnatal period, childcare leave is taken until the child is one year old.

To take maternity leave in Japan, you must submit a "Maternity Leave Notification" along with other documents at least two weeks in advance (more information below).

Duration of maternity leave in Japan

In Japan, maternity leave is guaranteed for 6 weeks (42 days) before the expected child's birth date and 8 weeks (56 days) after giving birth. In special cases, you can request 14 weeks (98) before the birth date if you are expecting twins or more.

If the expected due date is late, the days between it and the actual birth date are counted as part of the maternity leave period.

It is also possible to return to work earlier before the 8 weeks are up; however, you will need a doctor's approval. 

Do I qualify to take maternity leave in Japan?

To summarize, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare , it is illegal for employers to dismiss or treat their employees unfairly because of their pregnancy, childbirth, maternity leave, childcare reasons, etc. This right is also extended to foreigners working in Japan and part-time workers.

The requirements to take maternity leave:

• Worked for the company for at least one year

• A medical ceritificate of their pregnancy and expected due date to their employers

• Notify their employer at least two weeks before their intended leave start date.

Maternity leave allowance

Depending on your insurance, you may be entitled to a maternity allowance (出産手当金, shussan teatekin) to compensate for any loss of income because of the childbirth.

If you have employer-based health insurance or are enrolled in employment insurance (koyō hoken), you are eligible for the maternity leave allowance. It provides 2/3 of your average salary and covers the prenatal and postnatal periods. 

You can apply for a maternity leave allowance through Kyoukai Kenpo's insurance system . This allowance is not considered income, so you are exempt from income tax and labor insurance. However, if your employers continue to pay for the allowance, then income tax and labor insurance will apply.

On the other hand, if you fall into any of the following categories, you do not qualify for maternity leave.

• Self-employed

• Enrolled in non-employer-based insurance (NHI)

• Covered by national health insurance

• A dependent under your spouse's health insurance 

However, those under their spouse's health insurance as dependents or enrolled in non-employer-based insurance (NHI) can still receive childbirth and childcare lump sum, separate from maternity leave allowance. 

Childcare leave (育児休業)

Childcare leave (育児休業, ikuji kyūgyō) in Japan includes both maternity and paternity leave.

Translate image from LifeNet Seimei

Paternity leave (産後パパ育休)

Paternity leave is part of childcare leave in Japan, and it varies between companies and the individual's employment contract.

It's officially called 産後パパ育休 (sango papa ikukyū) or postpartum paternity leave, where working fathers can take four weeks of childcare leave within eight weeks of the birth of a child.

Requirements paternity leave in Japan 

To take paternity leave in Japan, you will need to do the following:

• Worked for the company for at least one year

• Must provide birth certificate to their employers

• Submit a Childcare Leave Notification

How long is childcare leave in Japan?

For mothers, childcare leave can begin immediately after the maternity leave period ends. For fathers, it can start any time between the child's birth and the day the child turns one year old.

Both parents can allow for extended childcare leave until their child turns 2 years old.

Childcare leave allowance

During childcare leave, employees can receive childcare leave benefits (育児休業給付金, ikujikyūgyō kyūfukin).

For the first six months, 67% of the employee's average monthly salary will be given, and then it will reduce to 50% after those six months. 

This benefit is not subjected to taxes; therefore, you expect to pay income tax, labor insurance, and social insurance payments during childcare leave.

Frequently asked questions

How many days of maternity leave can I take?

Maternity leave in Japan is 98 days in total—42 days before the birth and 56 days after the birth. In rare cases, Japanese companies offer a longer maternity period.

How much does childbirth cost in Japan?

All mothers in Japan can receive a one-time lump sum for childbirth called ikuji ichijikin. The amount depends on where you are in Japan, but it can be between 500,000 yen to 400,000 yen .

How much will I be paid for maternity leave?

The maternity leave allowance is about ⅔ of your normal monthly salary. 

In closing

For the first time, maternity leave in Japan can be a bit complicated. However, understanding your rights and available benefits allows you to prepare and plan to take care of your child and have a work-life balance of work and family.