Disclaimer: Since official English terms and translations are rarely fixed or agreed upon across sources and documents and some may even overlap in translation, it is best to learn and use the Japanese terms when referring to each topic and to keep the English terms in mind simply for your own reference.
Dealing with jargon can be very frustrating, especially when you’re looking at financial or legal terms. What is a paid leave day? How is it different from a special holiday? Are sick days a thing in Japan? What’s the difference between a legal holiday and a public holiday? What types of leave and holidays are available to employees in Japan? And why is everything called a holiday despite not actually being a holiday?
In this guide, we’ll help you better understand your rights as an employee as we answer these questions and more.
Table of Contents
Work Leave and Holidays in Japan
Here’s a detailed look at all the different types of leave and holidays pertaining to your job in Japan. This includes legal holiday, which is your designated day off, and paid leave, which allow you to take a day off from work without getting a pay deduction.
Legal Holiday 法定休暇
According to Japanese law, employers are required to give employees at least one day off per week or four days every four weeks. This is called hōtei kyūka（法定休暇）or legal holiday in English.
Public Holiday 祝日
The shukujitsu（祝日）or public holidays, such as Mountain Day, are NOT the same as hōtei kyūka. This means that unless the shukujitsu coincides with your hōtei kyūka, or if your employer decides that they are a holiday for the company, shukujitsu may be part of your normal work schedule. That is, your employer can require you to work on a public holiday without paying day off overtime premiums (other overtime premiums may still apply).
Paid Leave 有休
In Japan, yūkyū（有休）is something of a catchall. It can be used to take vacation leave, sick leave, or in place of any other leave from work where you would otherwise go unpaid for.
For example, if you needed to go to city hall to sort out something, you could arrange to take paid leave to run your errands on a certain day.
For more on paid leave, including how many days you get per year, check out our paid leave guide.
Special Holiday 特別休暇
A tokubetsu kyūka（特別休暇）or special holiday is a leave day granted by your employer, separate from yūkyū. These may or may not include pay or benefits depending on the stipulations of your employment contract. Additional leaves for birthdays, weddings, and funerals, all fall under this category.
Transfer Holiday 振替休日
If your employer allows it, you may request to “exchange” a working day for a holiday. This is called furikae kyūitsu（振替休日）or transfer holiday. Simply put, you can arrange to take a normal work day off and work on a different day instead, like your holiday. This differs from substitute holidays, or daikyū, in that the “exchange” is made before the fact. The work you render in this case counts towards your normal working hours and is therefore not subject to day off overtime premiums. Other overtime premiums may still apply where necessary.
Substitute Holiday 代休
If you have already rendered work on a holiday and arrange to take a different day off, this is called daikyū（代休）or a substitute holiday. In this case, since the trade-off is made after the fact, day off overtime premiums count, unlike with transfer holidays or furikae kyūitsu.
Now that you know about your work leave rights, let’s move on to the next group.
Parental and Family Leave in Japan
Here’s a detailed look at all the different types of leave for looking after family members—whether they are newborn babies, young children, or aged parents.
Maternity Leave 産休
In Japan, the sankyū（産休）, or maternity leave, is a 14-week leave (22 weeks for multiple births) covering both the prenatal and postnatal period. All expectant mothers are entitled to a childbirth and childcare lump sum to cover the costs of giving birth regardless of their insurance coverage.
Furthermore, they can receive a nontaxable maternity leave allowance if they are under shakai hoken (see our social insurance guide for more information). The amount the employee will be given depends on whether or not they also receive a salary at this time.
For more on maternity leave, including what benefits you can get and how to apply for them, check out our maternity leave guide.
Childcare Leave 育児休業
In Japan, parents can take ikuji kyūgyō（育児休業）, or childcare leave, after birth until the child turns 1 year old. Like maternity leave, the right to take childcare leave is protected by the law. However, employees may need to meet certain conditions to take this leave.
Working parents who are on childcare leave are entitled to certain benefits, such as an allowance, while they are out of work. The allowance amounts to about 2/3 or 1/2 of their normal salary per month, depending on the length of their leave.
For more on childcare leave, including what benefits you can get and how to apply for them, check out our childcare leave guide.
Paternity Leave パパ休暇
To encourage fathers to spend more time with their families, the papa kyūka（パパ休暇）, or paternity leave, allows them to take ikuji kyūgyō twice without requiring a special reason. Once within the postnatal period and again during the actual childcare leave period (see our maternity and childcare leave guide for more information).
Dad and Mom Parental Leave Plus パパ・ママ育休プラス
If both parents are working and decide to take childcare leave, they can take the papa・mama ikukyū purasu（パパ・ママ育休プラス）or dad and mom parental leave plus. With this, both parents are able to stay at home and care for their child together. This also allows the mother to reorient herself in the workplace while the father takes care of child duties.
Nursing Care Leave 介護休業
Employees who have family members in need of constant care may apply for the kaigo kyūgyō（介護休業）or nursing care leave. With this, employees are able to take up to 93 days of leave to provide nursing care. However, this work leave falls under a case by case basis and is therefore not guaranteed. Additionally, the employee must also meet certain conditions to be granted kaigo kyūgyō.
An allowance is provided to employees on nursing care leave who meet the conditions required for nursing care leave (see our nursing care leave and benefits guide for more information).
Family Care Leave 介護休暇
For employees who need to take an emergency leave to look after a sick or injured family member, there is the kaigo kyūka（介護休暇）or short-term nursing care leave. This leave goes up to 5 days for 1 family member in need of care and caps at 10 days for 2 or more.
There is no allowance for this leave and whether it is granted with or without pay varies from employer to employer.
Child Nursing Care Leave 看護休暇・子の看護休暇
On the other hand, employees who need to take an emergency leave to look after a sick or injured child can take ko no kango kyūka（子の看護休暇）or child nursing care leave. Like kaigo kyūka, this goes up to 5 days for 1 child in need of care and caps at 10 days for 2 or more.
There is also no allowance for this leave and whether it is granted with or without pay varies from employer to employer.
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Glossary
| Japanese | Pronunciation | |
| Legal Holiday | 法定休暇 | hōtei kyūka |
| Public Holiday | 祝日 | shukujitsu |
| Paid Leave | 有休 | yūkyū |
| Special Holiday | 特別休暇 | tokubetsu kyūka |
| Transfer Holiday | 振替休日 | furikae kyūitsu |
| Substitute Holiday | 代休 | daikyū |
| Maternity Leave | 産休 | sankyū |
| Childcare Leave | 育児休業・育児休暇 | ikuji kyūgyō・ikuji kyūka |
| Paternity Leave | パパ休暇 | papa kyūka |
| Dad and Mom Parental Leave Plus | パパ・ママ育休プラス | papa・mama ikukyū purasu |
| Nursing Care Leave | 介護休業 | kaigo kyūgyō |
| Family Care Leave | 介護休暇 | kaigo kyūka |
| Child Nursing Care Leave | 看護休暇・子の看護休暇 | kango kyūka・ko no kango kyūka |
| to take a … leave | 〇〇休暇を取ります | 〇〇kyūka wo torimasu |
References
- https://www.ashita-team.com/jinji-online/category1/10398 (Japanese)
- https://www.mhlw.go.jp/new-info/kobetu/roudou/gyousei/dl/140811-3.pdf (Japanese)
- https://roudou-bengoshi.com/yasumi/2151/#i (Japanese)
- https://zangyohiroba.com/overtime/holiday-work.html (Japanese)
- http://pregnancyhelp.jp/pregnancy/maternity-leave-in-japan/
- https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/affairs/dl/05.pdf
Featured image by Sai Kiran Anagani on Unsplash
4 Comments
If we are a contract worker in 6 years employeed can we avail the 20 days leave with pay
Hello Hangad,
Thank you for your question. Paid leave is an employee’s right, but your contract might not start at 20 days straight away. The longer you stay, the more paid leave days you are able to take. The same goes for full-time employees.
Check how many days you get in your contract and how many extra you get for staying longer at your company. The following articles might help you:
https://thetokyolife.jp/paid-leave/
https://thetokyolife.jp/leave-and-holidays-in-japan/
We hope this is of some help to you.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life
hi, if i mentally affected for personal reason, can i get sick leave?
how long i can take leave for mental illness?
what are all the documents i have to submit to my company?
I will any benefit from insurance company? for sick period.
Hello Pradeesh, thank you for your message.
There is long-term sick leave available for mental illness if you have the correct forms. First, you need to print off a 傷病手当 (Shoubyou Teate). Next, book an appointment with a psychiatrist and bring the form with you. The doctor will diagnose you and fill out the form. Finally, submit the form to your workplace. They will handle the rest and you will receive money in a few months. You need to have taken 4 days off in a row or longer to be eligible for this.
If you are a permanent employee, this is quite straightforward. If you are a contracted employee, they might ask you to quit. (Of course, it is your choice to say No here.)
If you are only taking 3 days off or fewer, you should be able to use normal sick leave days.
We hope this is of some help to you.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life