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:

• A medical certificate 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. 

For example, if your average monthly salary before leave is ¥300,000, your maternity leave allowance would be approximately ¥200,000 per month (¥300,000 × 67%).

This amount is tax-exempt and does not count as taxable income, meaning your take-home figure is typically close to the gross amount. Additionally, health insurance premiums and pension contributions are waived for both you and your employer during maternity leave, so your effective income replacement is higher than the stated percentage suggests.

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. 

Paternity leave in Japan (産後パパ育休)

Japan significantly expanded paternity leave rights under the 2022 amendment to the Child Care and Family Care Leave Law (育児・介護休業法), which took effect in October 2022. This was the most significant reform to parental leave policy in Japan in decades, and it introduced a dedicated system designed specifically to encourage fathers to take leave in the critical weeks following birth.

The new system is called 産後パパ育休 (sango papa ikukyū), or postpartum paternity leave. It is separate from the standard childcare leave system and was created to address historically low paternity leave uptake rates among working fathers in Japan.

How long is paternity leave in Japan?

Under 産後パパ育休, fathers can take up to four weeks (28 days) of paternity leave within the first eight weeks of their child's birth. Unlike standard childcare leave, this leave can be split into two separate periods, giving families flexibility to plan around work schedules and the needs of the mother and child.

How much is paternity leave pay in Japan?

During paternity leave, fathers receive the same childcare leave benefit rate as mothers: 67% of their average monthly salary for the first six months. Using a monthly salary of ¥300,000 as an example, a father taking four weeks of paternity leave would receive approximately ¥200,000 for that month. These benefits are tax-exempt and free from social insurance deductions for the duration of the leave period.

Note: In April 2025, another Post-Childbirth Leave Support Benefit (出生後休業支援給付金) was added, giving an additional 13% on top of the standard 67% childcare leave allowance, bringing the total to 80% of gross salary.

Requirements for paternity leave in Japan

Permanent employees qualify immediately while fixed-term employees qualify if their contract doesn't expire before the child turns one.

To take paternity leave in Japan, you will need to submit the following paperwork to your employee:

• Provide a birth certificate to your employer

• Submit a Childcare Leave Notification to your employer at least two weeks before the intended start date

Paternity leave uptake in Japan

Japan's government set a target of 50% paternity leave uptake among male employees by 2025. While that target was not fully met, uptake has risen sharply in recent years (from approximately 17% in 2022 to 40.5% in fiscal year 2024), according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

The government has since set a new target of 85% uptake by 2030. Companies with more than 300 employees are now required to publicly disclose their paternity leave uptake rates annually, expanded from the previous threshold of 1,000 employees as of April 2025.

This disclosure requirement is intended to create social and institutional pressure on employers to actively support fathers who wish to take leave.

Despite the progress, duration remains a concern. Uptake rates have improved, but many fathers still take only a few days rather than the full four weeks available under 産後パパ育休. Workplace culture continues to be the most commonly cited barrier among working fathers in Japan.

Childcare leave (育児休業)

Childcare leave (育児休業, ikuji kyūgyō) in Japan includes both maternity and paternity leave. If you are a permanent employee, you will qualify immediately. For fixed-term employees, you qualify if your contract doesn't expire before your child turns one.

Translate image from LifeNet Seimei

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.

Using the same example of a ¥300,000 monthly salary, here is what childcare leave benefits would look like in practice:

These amounts are tax-exempt and free from social insurance deductions, so what you receive is effectively your full benefit amount with no further withholding. Benefits are paid in arrears every two months directly into your designated bank account, administered through Hello Work (ハローワーク) via your employer.

New from April 2025: Post-childbirth leave support benefit

In April 2025, Japan launched the Post-Childbirth Leave Support Benefit (出生後休業支援給付金), which adds an additional 13% on top of the standard 67% childcare leave allowance, bringing the total to 80% of gross salary.

To qualify, both parents must each take at least 14 days of childcare leave—fathers within 8 weeks of the child's birth, and mothers within 8 weeks after their postnatal leave period ends. The additional benefit covers a maximum of 28 days and is paid on top of the standard childcare leave allowance, not separately.

Because childcare leave benefits are non-taxable and social insurance premiums are waived during leave, the effective take-home amount at the 80% rate is close to 100% of normal pay.

Using the same ¥300,000 monthly salary example:

Exceptions apply for single parents and cases where the other spouse is self-employed, out of contact, or otherwise unable to take leave. In these situations the requirement for both parents to take leave is waived and the benefit can still be claimed.

Frequently asked questions

How many days of maternity leave can I take?

Maternity leave in Japan is 98 days in total: 42 days (6 weeks) before the expected birth date and 56 days (8 weeks) after giving birth. If you are expecting twins or more, the prenatal period can be extended to 98 days before the due date. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, it is also possible to return to work before the 8-week postnatal period ends, but only with a doctor's written approval.

How much does childbirth cost in Japan?

All mothers enrolled in health insurance in Japan are eligible for a one-time childbirth lump sum (出産育児一時金, shussan ikuji ichijikin), which is a benefit paid to help cover the costs of delivery. As of 2023, the standard amount is ¥500,000 per birth , increased from the previous ¥420,000. The amount may vary slightly depending on the hospital and municipality, but the ¥500,000 figure applies to the majority of births covered under employer-based health insurance and the national health insurance system.

Can both parents take maternity and paternity leave at the same time in Japan?

Yes. Under the Papa Mama育休プラス (Papa Mama Ikukyu Plus) system, both parents can take childcare leave simultaneously. If both parents take leave, the standard one-year childcare leave period can be extended to 14 months, allowing greater flexibility for families where both parents want to share caregiving responsibilities. The extension applies as long as both parents are taking leave at the same time for at least part of the period.

What happens if my child is not accepted into nursery school in Japan?

If your child is not accepted into a licensed nursery (保育園) by the time their first birthday approaches, you can apply to extend your childcare leave to 18 months or, in some cases, two years. You will need to provide documentation from your local municipality confirming that no nursery placement was available. This extension maintains your leave protections and continued eligibility for childcare leave benefits during the extended period.

Do foreigners qualify for maternity leave in Japan?

Yes. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, maternity and childcare leave rights apply to all employees working in Japan regardless of nationality, including foreign nationals and part-time workers. Self-employed individuals and those not enrolled in employer-based health insurance are not eligible for the maternity leave allowance, though they may qualify for the separate childbirth lump sum.

Are social insurance premiums waived during maternity and childcare leave in Japan?

Yes. One of the less widely known benefits of maternity and childcare leave in Japan is that both health insurance premiums and pension contributions are waived for the duration of leave, for both the employee and the employer. This means your take-home benefit amount during leave is effectively higher than the stated percentage, since no social insurance deductions are made. The waiver applies automatically upon notification to your health insurance provider and pension office.

How do I apply for childcare leave benefits in Japan?

Childcare leave benefits (育児休業給付金) are administered by Hello Work (ハローワーク), Japan's public employment service. Your employer typically handles the application on your behalf, submitting the required documents to the relevant Hello Work office. Benefits are paid in arrears, usually every two months, directly into your designated bank account. If your employer does not initiate the application, you can apply directly at your nearest Hello Work office with proof of leave, employment history, and bank account details.

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.