What is the maternity leave system like in Japan? With guidance from Labor and Social Security Attorney Masashi Yasumori, let’s explore the basics.
- Types of Maternity and Childcare Leave in Japan
- How Each System Works
- Tax Payment During Leave
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Table of Contents
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Chapter 1: What are Japan's Maternity and Childcare Leave Systems?
Japan has four maternity and childcare leave systems. Here’s an overview of each. Detailed explanations will follow in the next sections. For the Japanese words, please see the table below.
a. Maternity Leave (Pre-Birth, Post-Birth) / 産前産後休業
Mothers can take leave starting from 6 weeks before birth (14 weeks for multiple pregnancies) and up to 8 weeks after birth. Pre-birth leave is optional and can be requested by the mother.
b. Postpartum Paternity Leave / 産後パパ育休
Fathers can take 4 weeks off within 8 weeks after the child’s birth. This leave can be split into two parts.
c. Childcare Leave / 育児休業
Each parent can take childcare leave until the child turns one year old, up to two times per child. If a childcare facility is unavailable, the leave can be extended until the child turns two.
d. Plus Childcare Leave / パパママ育休プラス
If both parents take childcare leave, each can take up to one year of leave until the child turns 14 months old.
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
|
産前産後休業 |
Sanzen sango kyūgyō |
Maternity Leave (Pre-Birth, Post-Birth) |
|
産後パパ育休 |
Sango papa ikukyū |
Postpartum Paternity Leave |
|
育児休業 |
Ikuji kyūgyō |
Childcare Leave |
|
パパママ育休プラス |
Papa mama ikukyū purasu |
Plus Childcare Leave |
Chapter 2: About Maternity Leave (Pre-Birth, Post-Birth)
Overview
- Eligible Employees: All female employees (including those on fixed-term contracts).
- Leave Period: From 6 weeks before the expected delivery date to 8 weeks after the delivery date.
- Work During Leave:
- Before childbirth: Employees may work if they do not apply for pre-birth leave.
- After childbirth: Employees are generally not allowed to work. However, after 6 weeks post-delivery, employees may work if they request it and the work is approved by a doctor.
How to Apply
Benefits During Leave
The payment of salary during leave depends on the company’s employment regulations.
Even if no salary is paid, employees enrolled in employee health insurance are eligible to receive a childbirth lump-sum allowance and a maternity allowance. However, the maternity allowance is not available under the National Health Insurance, which covers self-employed individuals and non-company employees.
The overview are as follows:
- The Childbirth Lump-Sum Allowance: ¥500,000 per child (the amount may vary depending on the medical institution).
- Maternity Allowance: If no work is performed and no salary is paid during the period from 6 weeks before the delivery date (14 weeks in the case of multiple pregnancies) to 8 weeks after the delivery date, about two-thirds of the salary amount will be paid.
Source: Japan Health Insurance Association “When child was born”, “When we were absent from company at childbirth”
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
|
出産育児一時金 |
Shussan Ikuji Ichijikin |
The Childbirth Lump-Sum Allowance |
|
出産手当金 |
Shussan Teatekin |
Maternity Allowance |
Points to Note
Taking pre-birth leave is optional, and you can choose to work instead. You can decide the start date for pre-birth leave at any time from 6 weeks before the expected delivery date (14 weeks for multiple pregnancies) onwards.
However, post-birth leave is mandatory under the Labor Standards Act, and you must take leave for 8 weeks after childbirth. After 6 weeks post-birth, you may return to work if you apply to the company and are approved by a doctor.
Chapter 3: About Postpartum Paternity Leave
Overview
- Eligible Employees: Employees who are fathers of the child
- Leave Period: Within 8 weeks after the child is born, for a total of up to 4 weeks (can be taken in two separate periods).
- As long as the total leave period is within 4 weeks, it can be taken all at once or split into two periods. However, the leave application must be submitted all at once. For example, it is acceptable to take the leave as a single 4-week period, or to split it into a 1-week period followed by a 3-week period.
- Work During Leave: Work is possible within the scope agreed upon between the individual taking the leave and the labor-management agreement (an agreement between the company and the labor union or similar).
How to Apply
Benefits During Leave
Employees enrolled in employment insurance* are eligible to receive the childcare leave benefits at birth. However, if they work for 11 or more days during the leave, they will not receive the benefit.
*This applies to employees who work 20 hours or more per week and have been employed continuously for more than 31 days.
The amount paid is calculated as: the daily wage before leave × number of leave days (up to 28 days) × 67% (the payment rate may change if wages are paid during the leave).
Applications must be submitted in writing to the company from the day after 8 weeks after the child’s birth until the end of the month two months later.
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
|
出生時育児休業給付金 |
Shusshoji Ikuji Kyūgyō Kyūfukin |
Childcare Leave Benefit at Birth |
Points to Note
Chapter 4: About Childcare Leave
Overview
- Eligible Employees: All employees
- Leave Period: Generally until the child turns 1 year old (extendable until the child turns 2 years old if daycare is unavailable). Leave can be taken up to 2 times per child.
- Work During Leave: Not allowed
How to Apply
Benefits During Leave
Employees enrolled in employment insurance * are eligible for childcare leave benefits. However, benefits are not provided if working for more than 11 days in a month.
*Applies to employees working 20 hours or more per week and employed continuously for over 31 days.
The benefit amount is as follows:
- 67% of the daily wage before leave × number of leave days (up to 6 months after the start of leave*)
- 50% of the daily wage before leave × number of leave days (after 6 months from the start of leave*)
*The payment rate changes if wages are paid during leave.
The first application must be submitted to the company in writing by the end of the month following 4 months after the start of childcare leave. Subsequent applications should generally be made to the company every 2 months.
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
|
育児休業給付金 |
Ikuji Kyūgyō Kyūfukin |
Childcare Leave Benefit |
Points to Note
- For employees with fixed-term contracts, such as contract employees, if their contract expires and is not renewed before their child turns 1 year and 6 months old (or 2 years old for extended leave), they cannot take childcare leave.
- Male employees can take a total of 4 periods of childcare leave, combining Postpartum Paternity Leave (2 periods) with regular childcare leave (2 periods). If they do not take Postpartum Paternity Leave, they can only take 2 periods of regular childcare leave.
Chapter 5: About Plus Childcare Leave
Overview
- Eligible Employees: Employees who are parents of the child
- Leave Period: Each parent can take leave for up to one year until the child is 1 year and 2 months old (extendable until the child is 2 years old if daycare is unavailable).
- Work During Leave: Not allowed
How to Apply
Benefits During Leave
Points to Note
- Both parents taking childcare leave.
- The spouse of the system user has taken childcare leave on any day before the child’s first birthday.
- The system user’s planned start date for childcare leave is before the child’s first birthday.
- The system user’s planned start date for childcare leave is after the first day of the spouse’s childcare leave.
Considering the above points, the maximum number of days per person for childcare leave remains unchanged, including post-birth maternity leave. Therefore, it is important for both parents to coordinate effectively. Using this system, Example A ensures a seamless transition from the mother’s childcare leave to the father’s, while Example B allows both parents to overlap their leaves for a period.
Source: Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Chapter 6: Payment of Income Tax, Labor Insurance, and Social Insurance
During Maternity Leave
- Income Tax and Residence Tax Income tax is required only if there is income payment, such as salaries. However, the benefits introduced earlier are exempt from income tax. On the other hand, residence tax is based on income from the previous year, so it is payable even during maternity and childcare leave if there was income in the previous year.
- Labor Insurance Premiums Labor insurance premiums consist of workers’ accident compensation insurance and employment insurance premiums. These premiums are not exempt during maternity and childcare leave. While the company fully covers workers’ accident compensation insurance, employment insurance premiums are paid if there is payment of salaries or other payments. Individuals not employed by a company are not originally required to pay labor insurance premiums.
- Social Insurance Premiums Health insurance premiums and welfare pension insurance premiums during the leave period are exempted. When applying for maternity and childcare leave from the company, you should also request exemption from insurance premiums.
For those covered under national health insurance and national pension as self-employed individuals, the insurance premiums for four months from the month before the expected birth month to the month after next are exempted. Application needs to be made at the city or municipal office.
During Childcare Leave
- Income Tax and Resident Tax The same applies during maternity leave.
- Labor Insurance Premiums The same applies during maternity leave.
- Social Insurance Premiums Health insurance and welfare pension premiums are exempted during the leave period. When applying for childcare leave, you can also request exemption from these premiums.
However, unlike maternity leave, there is no exemption from National Health Insurance and National Pension premiums during childcare leave, so they must be paid as usual.
