Maternity Leave in Japan: An Easy Guide For Working Parents

Statutory maternity leave in Japan (産前産後休業, sanzen sango kyugyo) lasts 14 weeks. That is up to 6 weeks before your due date and 8 weeks after giving birth. The first 6 weeks after birth are mandatory.

Mothers with employee health insurance receive a maternity allowance of about two thirds of their pay. After the maternity leave period ends, either parent can take childcare leave until the child reaches age one. The childcare leave allowance pays 67% of wages for the first 180 days.

In fiscal 2025, 88.3% of mothers and 50.9% of fathers took childcare leave, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). This guide covers maternity and paternity leave, who is eligible, and what each parent gets paid in 2026.

Parental leave in Japan at a glance

Parental leave in Japan comes from two laws. The Labor Standards Act covers maternity leave. The Child Care and Family Care Leave Act (育児・介護休業法) covers childcare leave and paternity leave.

Family care leave (介護休業) is a separate right for caring for sick or elderly relatives. It is not part of maternity leave.

Maternity leave (産前産後休業)

Translate image from LifeNet Seimei

Statutory maternity leave (産前産後休業, sanzen sango kyugyo) has two parts:

• Prenatal leave: up to 6 weeks before your due date. You take it only if you ask for it.

• Postnatal leave: 8 weeks after the birth. Your employer cannot let you work during the first 6 weeks, even if you want to.

The law sets no notice period for maternity leave. Still, tell your employer early, and check your company rules. When the maternity leave period ends, you can move straight into childcare leave.

Duration of maternity leave in Japan

Maternity leave lasts 98 days in total: 42 days (6 weeks) before the due date and 56 days (8 weeks) after birth. If you are expecting twins or more, prenatal leave extends to 14 weeks (98 days).

Your due date sets the start of prenatal leave. The day of birth counts as prenatal leave. If your baby arrives late, the extra days also count as prenatal leave.

You can return to work after 6 weeks, but only if you ask to and a doctor approves. Postnatal leave also applies after a stillbirth or a miscarriage after 4 months of pregnancy.

Do I qualify to take maternity leave in Japan?

Every pregnant employee in Japan can take maternity leave. That includes seishain (permanent staff), part-time, dispatch, and foreign workers. Pay depends on your insurance, not your contract type.

Your employer cannot dismiss you or treat you unfairly for pregnancy or taking maternity leave. If a pregnancy related illness affects your work, ask your doctor for a medical certificate. Your employer must move you to lighter work if you request it.

Maternity leave allowance

The maternity leave allowance (出産手当金, shussan teatekin) replaces lost pay while you are on leave. It comes from your employee health insurance, not employment insurance.

• Amount: about two thirds of your standard daily pay. That figure reflects your total pay, not just your normal base salary.

• Period: each unpaid day from 42 days before the due date to 56 days after birth. A late birth adds the extra days. If your employer pays you less than the allowance, you get the difference.

• Example: on ¥300,000 a month, you get about ¥200,000 a month.

• Tax: the allowance is not subject to income tax.

Your social insurance premiums are waived during maternity leave, for both you and your employer. Apply through your employer or your insurer, such as Kyoukai Kenpo.

You cannot get the maternity allowance if you are:

• Self-employed

• Covered by National Health Insurance (NHI)

• A dependent on your spouse's employee health insurance

You still get the childbirth lump sum in all three cases.

Support for self-employed and freelance parents

Since October 2026, self-employed and freelance parents can skip National Pension (kokumin nenkin) premiums until the child turns one. There is no income test, and the skipped months still count toward your pension.

Pregnancy support also pays ¥50,000 when you register the pregnancy. It pays another ¥50,000 per baby later in pregnancy. Ask your city office, and see our guide to sole proprietorship in Japan.

Paternity leave in Japan (産後パパ育休)

Japan created paternity leave at birth in October 2022, under an amendment to the Child Care and Family Care Leave Act (育児・介護休業法). It is called 産後パパ育休 (sango papa ikukyu).

It is a special type of childcare leave for the first weeks after the birth. Fathers can take it on top of regular childcare leave.

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. You can split it into two periods to fit work commitments and the needs of the mother and baby.

How much is paternity leave pay in Japan?

Paternity leave at birth pays 67% of wages, the same rate as childcare leave. It comes from employment insurance as the paternity leave benefit at birth (出生時育児休業給付金).

• Example: on ¥300,000 a month, 28 days of leave pays about ¥187,600.

• With the post-birth top-up: if both parents take 14 days or more, an extra 13% raises this to about ¥224,000.

• Cap: from 1 August 2026, the 67% payment for 28 days is capped at ¥310,290.

The benefit is not subject to income tax.

Requirements for paternity leave in Japan

Most male employees can take paternity leave at birth, including fixed-term staff. A labor-management agreement can exclude some workers, such as those with under one year of service.

• Tell your employer at least two weeks before you start.

• You can split the 28 days into two periods.

• Your employer may ask for proof of the child's birth.

Paternity leave uptake in Japan

Japan met its 2025 target. MHLW's fiscal 2025 survey found 50.9% of male employees took childcare leave, up from 40.5% a year earlier. Uptake was about 17% in fiscal 2022.

Of the fathers who took leave, 58.3% used paternity leave at birth. The most common length was 1 to 3 months (30.3%), followed by 2 weeks to 1 month (28.0%).

The next target is 85% by 2030. To promote gender equality, companies with more than 300 employees must publish their paternity leave rates every year.

Childcare leave (育児休業)

Childcare leave (育児休業, ikuji kyugyo) lets either parent stay home after the child's birth. It is separate from maternity leave. Paternity leave at birth is a special type of childcare leave.

Most employees are eligible, including fixed-term staff. Fixed-term staff are excluded only if their contract clearly ends before the child is 1 year 6 months. A labor-management agreement can also exclude staff with under one year of service.

Translate image from LifeNet Seimei

How long is childcare leave in Japan?

Childcare leave runs until the day before the child's first birthday. Mothers start when the maternity leave period ends. Fathers can start from the child's birth date, and either parent can split the leave into two periods.

Longer leave is possible in special cases:

• Papa Mama Ikukyu Plus: if both parents take leave, it can run until the child is 1 year 2 months. Each parent still gets one year at most, and mothers count postnatal leave in that year.

• No nursery place: extended childcare leave can run to 1 year 6 months, then to 2 years.

Childcare leave allowance

The childcare leave allowance (育児休業給付金, ikuji kyugyo kyufukin) comes from employment insurance. It pays 67% of wages for the first 180 days, then 50%.

Caps apply from 1 August 2026. Hello Work pays the allowance every two months into your Japanese bank account. It is not subject to income tax.

You also pay no social insurance premiums during leave, including employees' pension. That makes your take-home pay close to 80% of normal.

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.

You get the top-up if you take at least 14 days of leave soon after the birth. Fathers must take it within 8 weeks of the birth. Mothers must take it within 8 weeks after postnatal leave ends.

Your spouse must usually take 14 days too, but not in many cases. Your spouse’s leave is not required if they:

• are on postnatal leave (so fathers always qualify on their own)

• are not working, or are self-employed or freelance

• are not in the picture, as in single-parent families

The top-up covers up to 28 days. From 1 August 2026, the 13% payment is capped at ¥60,205.

The benefits are tax-free, and social insurance premiums are waived. For most earners, 80% of gross pay is close to 100% of normal take-home pay. Higher earners get less because of the cap.

New from April 2025: Reduced-hours work benefit

Many working parents return on shorter hours to balance work commitments and child care. Since April 2025, the reduced-hours work benefit (育児時短就業給付金) covers parents of a child under two. It pays 10% of the wages you earn while on reduced hours.

After your baby's birth: steps for foreign parents

Foreign parents face two deadlines soon after giving birth in Japan. If your baby has no residence status by day 61, the city deletes the baby’s resident record. Health insurance and child allowances then stop.

1. File the birth within 14 days at your city office. See our guide to the Japanese birth certificate.

2. Apply for your baby's residence status within 30 days if both parents are foreign and the baby will stay past 60 days. See our dependent visa guide.

3. Add your baby to your health insurance. See health insurance in Japan for foreigners.

4. Register the birth with your embassy and apply for the baby's passport.

Giving birth abroad? Your insurer may ask for translated documents before it pays. Our Japanese document translation services guide lists your options.

Maternity leave in Japan frequently asked questions

How many days of maternity leave can I take?

Statutory maternity leave in Japan is 98 days: 42 days before your due date and 56 days after giving birth. If you are expecting twins or more, prenatal leave extends to 14 weeks. The first 6 weeks after birth are mandatory. After that, you can return early only if you ask and a doctor approves.

Is maternity leave in Japan one year?

No. Maternity leave in Japan lasts 14 weeks. Childcare leave follows it and runs until the child reaches age one. It can extend to 1 year 2 months if both parents take leave, or to 2 years if no nursery place is available.

Is maternity leave paid in Japan?

Yes, but your employer usually does not pay it. Health insurance pays a maternity allowance of about two thirds of your pay. Employment insurance then pays a childcare leave allowance of 67% for 180 days, then 50%. Both are free of income tax, and social insurance premiums are waived during leave.

How much does childbirth cost in Japan?

A normal delivery cost about ¥518,000 on average in the first half of fiscal 2024. Health insurance pays a childbirth lump sum (出産育児一時金, shussan ikuji ichijikin) of ¥500,000 per baby. A law passed in May 2026 will make normal delivery free through public insurance within two years. No start date had been set as of September 2026.

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

Yes. A father can take paternity leave at birth while the mother is on postnatal leave. If he takes 14 days or more within 8 weeks, his pay rises to 80% of wages for up to 28 days. For most earners, that is close to 100% of take-home pay. Papa Mama Ikukyu Plus can also extend childcare leave to 1 year 2 months, without requiring overlap.

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

You can extend childcare leave to 1 year 6 months, then to 2 years. Since April 2025, Hello Work must also judge your nursery application a genuine attempt to return to work. Submit a copy of your application and the deferral notice from your city. Apply for a nursery place before your child turns one, or the extension can be refused.

Do foreigners qualify for maternity leave in Japan?

Yes. Maternity leave covers every female employee in Japan, regardless of nationality or contract type. The maternity allowance requires employee health insurance. Foreign parents must also file the birth within 14 days. If both parents are foreign and the baby will stay past 60 days, apply for residence status for the baby within 30 days.

How do I apply for childcare leave benefits in Japan?

Tell your employer you plan to take childcare leave. For paternity leave at birth, give at least two weeks of notice. Your employer usually files the benefit claim with Hello Work (ハローワーク). Hello Work pays every two months into your bank account.

In closing

Maternity and paternity leave in Japan are generous on paper. Most of the pay comes from insurance, not your employer. Check your health and employment insurance first, then tell your employer early.

Plan the order of leave with your partner. Taking leave together can raise pay to about 100% of take-home for 28 days. For time off beyond parental leave, see our guide to paid leave in Japan.