Disclaimer: Since official English terms and translations are rare and may be different between sources, it is best to learn the Japanese terms and to keep the English terms in mind for your own reference.
“It takes a village to raise a child.” The Japanese government seems to think so, since they have been paying more attention to the needs of modern families in the past few years. Changes to family laws in Japan highlight the importance of taking parental leave, particularly childcare leave, and have made them more accessible for working men and women.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at the different types of parental leave employees can take.
For information on maternity leave, check out our guide here.
To learn more about the other types of leave and holidays, check out our guide here.
Table of Contents
- Childcare Leave
- Glossary
- References
Childcare Leave 育休・育児休業
Working parents can request to take ikuji kyūgyō（育児休業）, or childcare leave, any time after the postnatal period — the 8-week period immediately after childbirth — until the child turns 1 year old. Depending on the father’s plans, he may be able to stay with the child for an additional two months — until the child is 1 year and 2 months old.
In certain cases, such as when the parents are unable to enroll the child in daycare, childcare leave may be extended until the child turns 2 years old.
Conditions for Childcare Leave
The law protects a parent’s right to take this leave, and fathers are in fact highly encouraged to spend more time with their children. In principle, however, the following conditions must be met to guarantee the leave. This means that if you do not meet all three conditions (e.g. you have not worked for the same company for at least one year), your request to take childcare can be denied. There is no set rule for this, however, so it’s always best to consult your employer.
- The employee must have worked for the same company for over a year.
- The employee will return to work after childcare leave ends/when the child turns 1 year old.
- Finally, the employee will continue working at the company until at least two days before the child turns 2 years old or if a contract renewal is not guaranteed.
This applies to both biological and adoptive children.
Some people may also use the term ikuji kyūka（育児休暇）when refering to childcare leave. Although they are not wrong, there is a difference between ikuji kyūka and ikuji kyūgyō. The first is that ikuji kyūka is a regular unpaid day off, but specifically for childcare. The second is that ikuji kyūka is not guaranteed or protected under the law. Whether or not you can take ikuji kyūka will depend on your employer. Therefore, ikuji kyūka falls under the umbrella of special leave rather than childcare leave (see our paid leave and holidays guide for more information).
Next, we’ll go over the other types of childcare leave parents, particularly fathers, can take.
Other Types of Childcare Leave in Japan
Paternity Leave パパ休暇
To encourage fathers to take childcare leave, they are allowed to apply for ikuji kyūgyō twice without requiring a special reason. This is called the papa kyūka（パパ休暇）system. The first leave under papa kyūka is during the 8-week postnatal period immediately after birth and the second leave is during the actual childcare period until the child turns 1 year old. Fathers may also receive childcare leave allowance and can apply for it after the mother gives birth.
Dad and Mom Parental Leave Plus パパ・ママ育休プラス
If both parents are employed and wish to take childcare leave at the same time, they can apply for 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 can take childcare leave at the same time. However, the father can only take childcare leave once, unlike the papa kyūka. The good thing about papa・mama ikukyū purasu is that the father can take childcare leave until the child turns 1 year and 2 months old.
For example, if the mother takes childcare leave immediately after maternity leave ends; the father can apply to take childcare leave the day after the mother takes hers. The father can also choose to take his leave two months later, three months later, or even during the mother’s last month of childcare leave. The important point in this case is that the parents have to apply one after the other. In other words, one parent applies for their leave AFTER the other parent has already started theirs.
The core benefit of papa・mama ikukyū purasu is that there will always be one parent taking care of the child. It also allows the mother to adjust to her work schedule again while the father takes care of their child.
Now that you know how childcare leave works, let’s find out what kind of benefits you can apply for.
Childcare Leave Benefits in Japan
Childcare Leave Allowance 育児休業給付金
The ikuji kyūgyō kyūfukin（育児休業給付金）is a tax-exempt allowance provided to working parents on childcare leave. However, only those who have been enrolled in koyō hoken（雇用保険）for at least 12 months in the past 2 years can receive it (also called unemployment insurance or employment insurance; see our social insurance guide for more information).
In addition, employees on childcare leave are also exempt from paying their health insurance and pension premiums. Despite this, they can still use their health insurance card and the period of childcare leave will still count towards future pension benefits.
The allowance is paid in parts. For the first 6 months from the start of the leave, 67% of the employee’s salary will be paid. For the succeeding months, 50% of the employee’s salary will be paid.
How to Apply
Childcare Leave Allowance 育児休業給付金
Applications for ikuji kyūgyō kyūfukin, or childcare leave allowance, are completed by employers, who will submit the application to the Hello Work branch which has jurisdiction over the area where the employee’s office is located. The allowance should be paid two months after the application was received and processed by Hello Work. A notification slip indicating Hello Work’s decision, the amount of the allowance, and when it will be paid will be sent to the employer who will forward it to the employee. Every two months after the first payment, Hello Work will send the employee an application to confirm their next payment of childcare leave allowance.
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Glossary
| English | Japanese | Pronunciation |
| Childcare Leave | 育児休業 | ikuji kyūgyō |
| Short-term Childcare Leave | 育児休暇 | 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 |
| Childcare Leave Allowance | 育児休業給付金 | ikuji kyūgyō kyūfukin |
References
The list below should only be used as a guide to help answer additional questions you may have. In addition, the information provided in this guide should not be taken as legal advice. It is best to cross-reference with official channels such as your local city hall and official government websites.
*These websites are in Japanese so we recommend you view them on Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge with a translation add-on.
Government Websites
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/file/06-Seisakujouhou-11900000-Koyoukintoujidoukateikyoku/0000169713.pdf
Information on maternity leave and childcare leave
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000158500.html
Frequently asked questions about childcare leave benefits
https://www.bosei-navi.mhlw.go.jp/ninshin/sanzen_sango.html
1. Early pregnancy, mid-pregnancy
2. Maternity leave and childcare leave
3. Requirements and procedures for taking childcare leave
4. Taking care of your child after returning to work
5. Overtime, holiday work, restrictions on late night work, modified hours, and hazardous work
6. Case study examples
https://www.bosei-navi.mhlw.go.jp/ninshin/ikuji.html
Childcare for working mothers
Official terms related to childcare leave
How to request childcare leave
Continuing to work while raising your new child
Exemption from overtime and late night work
Nursing care leave
Dispute resolution assistance system
Frequently asked question about common scenarios
HR Websites
https://www.roudou.net/ki_sanikukaigo.htm
What is maternity leave?
How to apply for childcare leave before or during maternity leave
https://money.rakuten.co.jp/woman/article/2019/article_0345/
Childcare and long-term care leave laws in Japan
Information for fathers
https://money.rakuten.co.jp/woman/article/2019/article_0314/
How much money can I receive (childbirth and childcare lump sum, maternity allowance, insurance and pension exemption, childcare leave benefits)?
What if I change jobs/am on a fixed-term contract?
https://money.rakuten.co.jp/woman/article/2018/article_0113/
Difference between ikuji kyuuka and ikuji kyuugo
Childcare leave benefits for mothers and fathers
Explanation and example of papa・mama ikukyū purasu
Support for when childcare leave has ended
https://money.rakuten.co.jp/woman/article/2018/article_0054/
How much is the childbirth and childcare lump sum?
Maternity leave allowance (eligibility and amount)
Childcare leave benefits and how much you can receive (upper limit)
What happens if I quit/lose my job?
Cesarean birth and things to be aware of
Maternity leave and childcare leave for part-time workers
Childcare leave for men
What is matahara (maternity harassment)? Know your rights.
https://keisan.casio.jp/exec/system/1528684593
Online calculator for maternity leave allowance, childbirth and childcare lump sum, and childcare leave allowance
To use, enter the expected date of birth, the number of expected births, and your monthly salary.
https://www.rakuten-insurance.co.jp/media/article/2019/068/
Financial assistance during pregnancy
Maternity leave allowance and childbirth and childcare lump sum amount
Childcare leave benefits and subsidies
Tax, social security exemptions, children’s allowance
Featured image by Nynne Schrøder on Unsplash
109 Comments
Thanks for the informative article. As father, I have already taken childcare leave for 5 months that was ended end of last October and my wife is about to give birth again for our second baby this March 😉 So I was wondering if I’m still able to take a childcare leave again 5 months later after my first childcare leave. Is there any certain time of period that we should work once we return to work after childcare leave to be able to take the second one?
Hi Mahmut. We apologize for the delay in answering your question.
There is no time requirement for taking childcare leave between the births of your children and your right to take the leave is protected by law. We strongly urge you to coordinate with your company’s HR department on the schedule of your upcoming leave.
We hope things go smoothly for you and your family!
Hi,
Is there any payslip or notification paper for childcare leave allowance?
Hi Chel. Thank you for your question.
Rest assured that you will be sent a notification slip containing the results of your application for childcare leave allowance.
If you have not yet received the notification slip, please contact the person at your office who is in charge of applying for your childcare leave allowance and ask them to confirm if Hello Work has received your application. If Hello Work received your application but you have not yet been sent the notification slip then your application may still be under examination.
We hope this helps!
I was delivered my baby on August 23,2021 for a childcare leave I must recieve my first on February but until this time still waiting.I sign at the company to get the leave until 1 year.if I quit now still I’m eligible to get the childcare leave.?any advice I have 5 months left to return the work.
Hi Rosemarie,
Thank you for posting your question.
To take childcare leave, you must apply to the company at least one month before the leave is scheduled to start. Have you already applied?
In addition, the following conditions must be met in order to take childcare leave:
1. You must be continuously employed by the same employer for at least one year.
2. You will resume your employment after your child’s first birthday.
3. Your contract expires two days before the child’s second birthday, and it is clear that the contract will not be renewed.
Childcare leave cannot be taken if the number of scheduled working days per week is less than 2 days.
We hope the information above clarifies matters.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life
I extended my childcare leave allowance how long does it take to get the next payment? And can i work while having that extended childcare allowance? Thank you
Hi Jerish. We apologize for the delay.
With regards to receiving the payment, you should receive a notification from Hello Work (through your company) indicating the result of the application including when the amount will be transferred to your account. Please consult your company to confirm the status of your application.
You are allowed to work during childcare leave, however, it should be at most 10 days or 80 hours a month, including work done outside of the office. Please note that the amount of childcare leave allowance you receive is set at 80% of your salary and will go down accordingly if you are paid a salary during your leave. If you are paid 80% or more of your salary, the amount of childcare leave allowance you receive will go down to 0.
We hope this helps!
Sorry to continue this thread. I’m a little confused about working during childcare leave. If the amount of childcare leave allowance received goes down in accordance with money earned on childcare leave, does that mean it simply nullifies any salary received? As in, there’s no incentive to do any extra work?
In my case, I do some occasional part-time examining that is paid into the salary of my regular job whenever I do. I’d like to know if I could do the occasional day of examining during my childcare leave. Thanks!
Dear Lyon,
I wanted to find out some information regarding paternity leave. I have been working for the same company for Four years, and my contract gets reniewed every year. I am a full time Haken employee and have been paying Koyo hoken, pension and health insurance.
my question is that, am i eligible for one month paid paternity leave?
I contacted my company and they said I am not eligible for childcare leave because my contract will end by the time my baby turns 18 months.
does it make any sense?? cause I am only applying for a month.
please advice?
thank you.
Addi
Hi Addie. Thank you for your question.
Although it is true that the current law requires that you continue to be employed after your child turns 18 months, it should be clear that your company does not intend to renew your contract when you apply for childcare leave. It goes without saying that it is illegal to threaten you by any means to prevent you from taking childcare leave.
1. To be continuously employed for one year or more at the point of application for the leaves.
2. To exclude persons whose employment contracts are certain not to be renewed by the time a child becomes one and half-year-old.
For more information, please refer to this pdf copy of the Revised Child and Family Care Leaves Act and Equal Employment Opportunities Act:
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/children/work-family/dl/160802-01e.pdf (English)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/children/work-family/dl/160802-01j.pdf (Japanese)
You can also visit the Employment / Equal Opportunity Division (Office), Municipal Labour Bureau Hours: 8:30-17:15 (closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, end of year and the New Year). However, please bring someone who can speak Japanese if you do.
We hope this helps!
Dear Lyon,
Thank you very much for your detailed reply. I really appreciate your help and time.
Hello can i ask some questions regarding the childbirth leave allowance here in Japan. What if that after i avail the said benifits a childcare leave allowance that my baby turns one year then i decided not to return a work in same company. In fact i stop in work in my company. Could possible i pay back the childbirth leave? Please help me.. Thanks and good day….
Hi Lenlen.
There is no problem if you decide not return to your company after childcare leave. You don’t have to return any childcare leave allowance you have already received. If you resign during your leave, you will still receive childcare leave allowance, but only until the date of your resignation.
Let your company know about your decision as well.
We hope this helps!
Good day!
I have a question regarding childcare leave benefit. My baby is turning 1 year old this month of July, I wish to extend my chilcare leave until my child turns 2, but in order to do so, I am asked to submit a document from the city hall that my child have been denied from entering a hoikuen facility. Is that document necessary for me to extend my leave?
Hello Hazel,
Thank you for your question. There are conditions for extending childcare leave.
Before the child’s first birthday, the parents must have applied for admission to an approved nursery school.
If the parents have not applied for admission to an approved nursery school, or if they on childcare leave has no intention of returning to work, the extension of childcare leave will not be granted.
Therefore, they must obtain a certificate from the city office stating that they has applied for admission to an approved nursery school but has not been admitted, and submit this certificate to the company.
We hope this information will assist you going forward.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life
To whom it may concern,
I’m currently working for a company whereby each year they verbally renew whether or not an employee will be returning to work for another year. I have asked if there will be a signed contract and they always answered no it’s not necessary. I recently had a child and took the father parental leave. It was for 3 months and after I return from parental, my boss told me that my replacement will be taking over 25% of my workload and I will be expecting to receive a pay reduction in 6 months. Is this legal? If not who should I contact at Hello Work? Also since there is no contract and they stated that my pay will be reduced in 6 months after returning to work from father parental leave, am I obligated to continue working at the company for a full year at the reduced salary?
Hi Smith. Thank you for your question.
While it is true that it is not illegal for your company to not provide written employment contracts, ALL employers are still required to provide a written document (called 労働条件) which outlines the agreed upon working conditions between the employee and employer.
The 労働条件 MUST include:
1. the period of your employment (including renewal period if applicable)
2. working conditions (including where and what work you are required to do)
3. work schedule (what time and days you work)
4. salary (including how much and how it is calculated as well as when and how it is paid)
5. guidelines on retirement/dismissal.
Your rights as a worker are protected by the law; therefore, should you decide to resign from your company, as long as you follow the guidelines for retirement/dismissal (5), you should be allowed to do so.
We strongly advise you to consult with a labor lawyer for the best and most accurate information for your situation. You can also visit the Employment / Equal Opportunity Division (Office), Municipal Labour Bureau Hours: 8:30-17:15 (closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, end of year and the New Year). However, please bring someone who can speak Japanese if you do.
We hope this helps!
I’m at my child care leave now and a single mom.
How many times should I get the allowance within 6 months leave? Is it only given once or once every 2 months?.
Hi Jhoanna.
The details of your allowance, including amount and payment, will be indicated on a notification slip sent to you. Please contact your employer and ask whether they have received the notification slip.
We hope this helps!
I wanted to know more about childcare leave allowance as follows:
Eligibility
– Do you have to work with the same employer for 12 months before you are eligible to apply for childcare leave allowance?
– If yes, who is responsible to submit the application to Hello Work Branch? Is it the employee or the employer?
OR
– Do you have to work for a total of 12 months with one or more than one Company before you are eligible to apply for childcare leave allowance?
Where exactly that the matters on Childcare Leave Allowance is being govern i.e. any specific act/legislation that I can refer to?
Appreciate your feedback on the above matters.
Thank you.
Hi Azam.
As mentioned in our article, you have to have worked with the same employer/company for at least 1 year (for more, please see read Conditions for Childcare Leave above). Your employer/company is responsible for handling the application for childcare leave allowance.
For more information, please view this file from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/file/06-Seisakujouhou-11900000-Koyoukintoujidoukateikyoku/0000169713.pdf (Japanese).
We hope this helps!
Thank you for all the great answers I have 2 questions I hope you can answer.
1. If I take 6 months childcare leave, and decide to switch employers before going back, is this allowed? Or is there a minimum amount of time I need to serve at my original company where I started the leave?
2. Is a person allowed to work at a side job, while on paid paternity leave from their main employer? (I think this is 10 days or 80 hours, but I’m not certain).
Hi Jared.
If you plan on having a different part-time job while on Childcare Leave, please consult your current employer first to makes sure it’s not a violation of your contract. You may work up to 10 days or a total of 80 hours, but keep in mind that this will affect how much Childcare Leave Allowance you can receive.
During Childcare Leave, the amount of allowance you receive and any salary you are paid must be a total of 80% of your normal salary. If you receive a salary that is 80% or more of your normal salary, your allowance will become 0. If you receive a salary less than 80% of your normal salary, the amount of allowance you get will decrease accordingly.
We hope this helps!
Hi
I would like to know if it is possible to cut short my child care leave which I had already applied.
for example :
I initially applied for child care leave from May 1st 2021 to Aug 31st 2021. However as my child care leave progresses, I decided to cut short my child care leave duration (may be, child care leave until June 30th 2021 is enough for me and I wanted to start work from July 1st onwards).
so is it possible to change the end date of the child care leave ?
The thing is, I am not able to decide, how long I will need the child care leave, at this moment of time.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Rosh. Thank you for your question.
You may apply for an adjustment to your childcare leave duration, however, you can only do so once and your employer will decide whether to approve it or not. Also, it would be best for you to first decide on an end date. Please consult your employer on the process for adjusting your childcare leave.
We hope this helps!
Hi,
We both are working professionals in different IT companies in Tokyo. My wife is expecting and her expected date
of delivery is 1st August’2021. She will soon start her Maternity leave, which will end in 8 weeks after child birth.
She is planning to take Child care leave as soon as her Maternity leave is completed.
The question is can I (Father of a child) also apply for 2 months of Child care leave immediately after child birth?
will I be eligible to get the 67% of the employee’s salary ?
FYI – My wife will be on Maternity leave and I would like to take child care leave during this period. we both are
eligible to get the child care allowance ?
Hi Tejas.
Yes. As mentioned in our article, you may take paternity leave as soon as the postnatal part of maternity leave starts (the 8-week period after the birth of your child). If you and your wife fulfill the conditions to receive childcare leave allowance (i.e. you have been enrolled in koyō hoken（雇用保険）for at least 12 months in the past 2 years before applying for childcare leave) you should receive it. Please refer to “How to Apply” to learn more.
We hope this helps!
hi. i would like to ask, if is it illegal to do part time job in a month while receiving child care allowance?
Hi Jenny.
You are allowed to do work during childcare leave, however, please keep in mind that it will affect the amount of childcare leave allowance that you receive.
For more information, please read the following: https://thetokyolife.jp/childcare-leave-and-benefits-in-japan/#comment-1328
We hope this helps!
Hi,
I gave birth last November17, 2020. I’m on childcare leave. I received my 1st childcare leave allowance last April 23, 2021 for 2 months payment. I did not yet received my 2nd payment. Do I need to submit application every 2 months? Thank you.
Hi Cjoy.
You do not need to submit a new application. The details of your allowance, including amount and date of payment, will be indicated on a notification slip sent to you. Please contact your employer and ask whether they have received the notification slip.
We hope this helps!
Thank you so much. I thought I need to submit certain documents every 2 months. Still waiting for my 2nd childcare leave allowance.
hi. may i ask did u received your 2nd payment and when? i’ m on my childcare leave now, i gave birth May 17, 2021 but didn’t receive my 1st payment. Maybe i will receive it this month,october..
Hi Iza.
Since you gave birth in May, your Maternity Leave would have ended in July. This means that you also should have applied for Childcare Leave Allowance in July.
Please ask your employer to confirm with Hello Work if your application was received on time. You can also ask whether they have received a reply from Hello Work regarding your application.
We hope this helps!
Hello Lyon
during child care leave, do we get exemption from below monty salary deductions ?
1) health insurance
2) inhabitant tax
3) income tax etc…
Hi Rosh.
The amount of childcare leave allowance you receive is exempt from tax, and you do not pay health insurance during your leave. However, if you work during this childcare leave, the salary you receive will still be taxed.
We hope this helps!
Hello Lyon
Thank you very much for your clarifications.
Could you please let me know, what will happen, if an employee resigned from the employment during his childcare leave period ?
will it cancel the already applied child care leave and no allowance will be paid ?
Hi Rosh.
When you take childcare leave and apply to receive the allowance, it is assumed that you will be returning to work after your leave ends.
However, if after starting childcare leave you decide to resign, you will still receive childcare leave allowance for the period UP TO the date of your resignation. Keep in mind that you will no longer receive any childcare leave allowance that cover the period after your resignation date.
We hope this helps!
I gave birth last May 1st. When can my employer start to apply for my childcare leave payment?
Hi Nikki.
Your employer should be able to apply for it once maternity leave ends and you start childcare leave.
We hope this helps!
Hi lyon
Ive finished my maternity leave and get back to work again.and ive got pregnant again while working now.
From 2months of work i got pregnant.
I would like to ask,can i get another benifits said like before?even i did not get a year working?
Hello Hydesu,
Thank you for your question. Before we can provide a reliable answer here, we will need some more details. Specifically, what is meant by “benefits like before”. It would be a good idea to clarify your situation at city hall and talk to your employer too.
We hope this is of some help to you.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life
Thanks so much for engaging with all the comments!
I’m a father and seishain in Japan and recently took 2 months of childcare leave before returning back to work. My daughter is now 6 months old. Am I able to take leave again, despite having already returned to work?
Hi Tony.
We apologize for the delayed response. It would depend on whether or not you fulfill the requirement for paternity leave (see above). If the two months of childcare leave you took previously were during the two months immediately following your daughter’s birth, you are entitled to a second leave at any time until your daughter turns 1 year old. There are no conditions on how soon you can apply for your second leave after the first one so there should be no problem.
Thank you, we’re always happy to help!
My wife is giving birth to a baby on this august and me as father want to apply for childcare benefit.what are the requirements to apply for this benefit ?Can my company refuse my request to apply for this benefit?please looking forward to hear from you thankyou.
Hi Ranabhat.
Your right to take childcare leave is protected by law. Your company cannot refuse and it is illegal to do anything to prevent you from taking childcare leave. To receive childcare leave allowance, you need to be enrolled in koyō hoken（雇用保険）for at least 12 months in the past 2 years before applying for childcare leave (see above).
If you encounter any problems with applying for your leave, refer to the Revised Child and Family Care Leaves Act and Equal Employment Opportunities Act:
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/children/work-family/dl/160802-01e.pdf (English)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/children/work-family/dl/160802-01j.pdf (Japanese)
You can also visit the Employment / Equal Opportunity Division (Office), Municipal Labour Bureau Hours: 8:30-17:15 (closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, end of year and the New Year). However, please bring someone who can speak Japanese if you do.
We hope this helps!
Hi. How long in advance should the company apply for childcare leave on my behalf?
Hi Natz.
Your company can apply for the childcare leave benefits on your behalf once your child is born.
We hope this helps!
A good day to you author,
i am currently on my childcare leave, Can i work part time while on Childcare leave?
Hi Pia.
We apologize for the late reply. Yes, you are allowed to work during childcare leave. However, it should be at most 10 days or 80 hours a month total. This includes work done outside of the office.
The amount of childcare leave allowance you receive is 80% of your salary and will decrease if you are paid a salary during your leave. If you are paid 80% or more of your salary, the amount of childcare leave allowance you receive will go down to 0.
We hope this helps!
Hi!I just want to ask if Is there any problem if I will not return or resign my job after taking child care leave?
Hi Lennie.
There is no problem if you decide to resign during or after childcare leave.
If you decide to resign during childcare leave, there should be no problem. However, childcare leave allowance will only be paid up to the date of your resignation. You don’t have to return any allowance that you have already received.
If you decide to resign after taking childcare leave, there should be no problem as well. However, as a courtesy to your employer, it would be good to at least return to work for a while. Childcare leave and childcare allowance are given with the expectation that you will return to work afterwards.
It’s best to consult with your employer so they can accommodate your plans and give you advice on when to resign from your job.
We hope this helps!
Hi!
I will join a new company from 1st October 2021 and I am planning to take childcare leave from Jan 2022. If I consider the time duration between my new company joining date and starting time of childcare leave is 3 months. As I read in this article “the employee must have worked for the same company for over a year” but at the same time I am eligible in these criteria ” you need to be enrolled in koyō hoken（雇用保険）for at least 12 months in the past 2 years before applying for childcare leave”.
Should I be eligible for childcare leave in this case where my employment is not more than 1 year but I enrolled in koyō hoken for more than 12 months?
Hi Chetan.
Our apologies for the confusion. The criteria “you need to be enrolled in koyō hoken（雇用保険）for at least 12 months in the past 2 years,” is for childcare leave allowance. To receive childcare leave allowance, you must be on childcare leave AND enrolled in koyō hoken.
As mentioned in the article, “the employee must have worked for the same company for over a year,” (plus the other two requirements) to guarantee childcare leave.
This means that even if you are new to the company, you can still request to take childcare leave. However, since you don’t meet all of the requirements to guarantee your leave, your employer can choose to approve OR not approve your request.
It’s best that you refer to your contract and consult your employer on this matter.
We hope this helps!
Hi, I’m a single mom and I’m receiving my deceased husband’s pension. Will my pension stops if I’m gonna have a boyfriend and got pregnant?
Hi Jennilyn.
In general, if a widow enters a second marriage or a common-law marriage (unofficial marriage), she becomes ineligible to continue receiving Survivor’s Pension.
Whether or not the label of common-law marriage applies to your situation/plans is up to your local ward/city. Therefore, it is best to consult them on the best course of action.
We hope this helps!
Hi!
Thanks for this great article!
I am a father and my child just turned 1 year and 4 months old. Can I still apply for childcare leave?
I understand that under some conditions, childcare leave can be taken until the child turns 3 years old, but I am not sure exactly what these conditions are.
Thank you!
Hi Hari.
Normally, childcare leave is only available until your child turns 1 year old. However, if you were unable to enroll your child in daycare, you can request for an extension. This allows you to take childcare leave until your child turns 1 year and 6 months old. And then up to 2 years old with a second extension.
It’s best that you consult your employer in case they provide other options/support for parents.
We hope this helps!
Hi…
I gave birth last February and I received my first childcare allowance month of july but until now I did not yet received again? I thought i can recieve every 2 months.
Hi Ariana.
After your initial application for Childcare Leave Allowance, you should receive your first payment. After that, Hello Work will send an application for the next payment every 2 months.
They will send the application to your employer so please call them to confirm whether they have received it. You will need to complete the application and return it to your employer to receive the next payment.
We hope this helps!
Hi im on my 1yr and 2 months childcare leave and im pregnant again for the 2nd time.. is it possible for me to have any benefit again from my work? Thankyou
Hi Akira.
The benefits for Maternity Leave and Childcare Leave are provided by the government. You should be able to apply for leave for your second child as normal, however, it’s best that you speak with your employer as soon as possible to avoid any problems.
If you encounter any problems, you can visit the Employment / Equal Opportunity Division (Office), Municipal Labour Bureau Hours: 8:30-17:15 (closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, end of year and the New Year). However, please bring someone who can speak Japanese if you do.
We hope this helps!
Dear sir,
I’m applying for a child care leave. My company has accepted that I can take a 4 months leave. The question I have here is, will I be receiving 60% or 80% of my salary? And from what I have read, it looks like I’m excepted from paying health insurance.
Hi Barron.
Thank you for your question. The amount of Childcare Leave Allowance you receive is as follows:
1. For the first 6 months from the start of the leave, 67% of the employee’s salary will be paid.
2. For the succeeding months, 50% of the employee’s salary will be paid.
However, if you work during this time and receive 80% or more of your salary, the amount of allowance you receive will be 0. If are paid less than 80% of your salary, the amount of allowance you receive will decrease so that the total amount (salary and allowance) you receive is 80% of your normal salary.
Yes, you are exempted from paying your social insurance while you are on leave. Please consult your employer or your nearest pension office for more information on this.
We hope this helps!
Hi Lyon,
I’m currently on 6 months child care leave, and want to change companies ASAP.
Do I need to continue working for my current company —after childcare leave— for a certain amount of time before resigning?
Hi Jared.
Our apologies for the delayed response.
There should be no problem if you resign after completing childcare leave. There is also no set amount of time you need to work before resigning from your current company, nor is it required, so it’s best to consult with your employer if you plan on continuing employment there for a while after childcare leave.
We hope this helps!
Thanks for all your help.
One more question — Normally I work full time teaching and also work part time/casual (no guaranteed hours) translating with a seperate company.
During child care leave (from my teacher job) am I allowed to continue the casual translation work?
Hi Jared.
As long as the part-time job does not violate your current work contract (i.e. your main employer knows about it and allows it), you can continue your translation job while on leave. It must also follow the previously mentioned requirement of total work hours amounting to 10 days or 80 hours per month only. Keep in mind that your salary from your part-time work will also affect the amount of Childcare Leave Allowance you can receive.
We hope this helps!
i gave birth may 17, i received my maternity leave allowance by august but i don’t receive my child care leave allowance until now.
Hi me16.
You should receive Childcare Leave Allowance two months after you apply. Please contact your employer and ask them to check if Hello Work has received your application. If you haven’t applied yet, please do it as soon as possible.
We hope this helps!
thank you so much for your fast reply. I received my childcare leave allowance today. thank you for this site, it helps a lot for us mothers/fathers having questions regarding this matter. thank you.
Hi me16.
Thank you very much for the update and the kind words! We’re glad to hear that our website has been helpful to you and our other readers.
Hi me16
I just want to ask if from where did you recieve the benifits? Is it direct sent from hello work or hello work sent it to company? I gave birth last june 9 and i did not yet recieve any benifits until now.
Hi Hiko.
Childcare leave allowance should be sent directly to your personal bank account. It is normally paid two months after your application for childcare leave was received and processed by Hello Work.
Please ask your company if They have received the reply for your application from Hello Work.
We hope this helps!
hi, i received directly from hello work to my bank account. i didnt get any notification letter or what did you call that, i gave birth may17, received maternity benefit, and oct.27 i received my 1st childcare leave benefit..hope it helps
Hi me16.
Thank you for sharing!
My company provides housing and dependent allowances each month, which are added to my base salary. Are these allowances included in the 67% salary calculation for childcare leave? Thank you!
Hi Chad.
The housing allowance is included in the calculation of your allowance, however, the dependent allowance might not be. Please consult your employer to be sure.
We hope this helps!
Hi I’m in my child care leave and My baby is going to 1 years old and my child care will extend by may (1 year 6 months ) because we not qualified in hoikuen . My question is what will happen if I’m pregnant . What will happen in my child care allowance? It is possible I can apply in my 2 nd baby ? Please I need answer thank you
Hi Mimi.
We apologise for the delayed reply. You can also apply for maternity and childcare leave for your second child.
However, childcare leave for your first child will end when you start maternity leave for your second child. You will continue to recieve childcare leave allowance until you start maternity leave for your second child.
You can also receive maternity leave allowance and childcare leave allowance for your second child.
You can continue your leave without returning to work, but it’s important to inform your company as soon as possible so they can advise you, too.
We hope this helps!
Hi author,
I would like to ask how is the child care allowance/leave will be applied?
where can i get the application papers?
My hakken tantosha asked me to go to cityhall.
I don’t know exactly what name of the paper should i get there for the childcare allowance/leave. tantosha said without these application papers he cannot submit the application to the hakken office and hellowork.
do you have any idea?
Hi Heiji.
We apologise for the late response.
You will need to submit either
Application for Childcare Leave Benefit Payment
「育児休業給付金支給申請書」
(ikuji kyūgyō kyūfukin shikyū shinseisho)
or
Childcare Leave Benefit Confirmation Slip・(First) Application for Childcare Leave Benefit Payment
「育児休業給付受給資格確認票・（初回）育児休業給付金支給申請書」
(ikuji kyūgyō kyūfu jukyū shikaku kakuninhyō ・(shokai) ikuji kyūgyō kyūfukin shikyū shinseisho)
depending on whether you have already confirmed your eligibility to receive childcare leave allowance.
You can get the application papers from Hello Work, not City Hall.
We hope this helps!
Hello.. Its bothering me this matter about the childcare leave allowance that I’ve already received. Sir, if i quit and not returning my work in same company do i refund the amount that i received in my childcare leave? Please reply.. Thank you..
Hi Dinah.
You don’t have to refund any amount of childcare leave allowance that you have received. However, if you decide to quit your current work before the end of your childcare leave, you will only receive the allowance until the effective date of your resignation. You may also quit after you finish your leave to take care of your child. The important thing is to inform your company as soon as possible.
We hope this helps!
Hello Lyon,
Thanks for the detailed information.
Id like to ask a question about having a part time job while on leave. Before having my leave, I had a total income of around 400,000JPY from two jobs.
I took the paternity leave from my main job which paid around 270000JPY. Because of that, I am currently receiving half of it which is 135,000JPY a month.
Now basing on the 80% of the previous salary cap that would affect the benefit to be received, if I worked extra at my part-time job, is my total income from the two jobs capped at 320,000 (80%) of the income prior to the leave?
Thank you and apologies for the rather complicated question.
Hi Miki.
You are indeed able to take childcare leave and receive childcare leave allowance for part-time work.
However, there is not enough information from official sources (MHLW)to address situations like the one you described (i.e. receiving childcare leave allowance from BOTH a full-time job and a part-time job).
The best thing you can do is consult Hello Work since they process applications and payments for childcare leave allowance.
We hope this helps!
Hello,
I just want to ask if i can go home to my country with my child while having childcare leave?
Hello Christine,
Thank you for your patience regarding your question.
This answer is dependent on your company. Since you are taking childcare leave under their employment, you will need to consult your employer and be granted permission to leave the country.
Best wishes,
The Tokyo Life
Hello Lyon thanks for your assistance, please I want to know if there is any other form of child care benefit I can get hence I have not been in the same company for a year yet but have being in Koyo hoken for years .
Hello Osita,
Thank you for your question. Regarding how to answer this, we might need a little more information. Could you let us know what childcare benefits you receive now/will receive later?
Best wishes,
The Tokyo Life
Hello, good day. I would like to ask if I can still apply for childcare leave extension even if my employer advised me that they will terminate my employment after the 6th month of my childcare leave because they found out that the father of my child is my colleague? My 6th month childcare leave will end next month and I’m supposed to go back to work, however that issue arise. Also, do I need to pay resident tax during childcare leave? because my employer said they are the one who’s paying it for me after I took my maternity leave upto now, and they ask me to return all the money to them. Thank you.
Hello Janella,
Thank you for your questions. The company does not have the authority to terminate your contract, even if the father of your child is an employee of your company. However, should you decide to leave the company, you will not be able to extend your childcare leave because this is contingent on you still being employed by the company. Resident tax is tax paid by the individual, so you will need to repay the company what they have already paid.
We hope these answers will be of some help to you.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life
Hello, Good day!
I just wanted to ask about the procedure of child care leave benefit extension. My child is turning 1 year old soon and I wanted to extend my leave.
Thank you for your answers!
Hello Rose,
Thank you for your question. There are conditions for extending childcare leave.
Since we don’t know the details of your situation, it would be best to consult with your company representative first.
We hope this is of some help to you.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life
Good day!
I just wanted to ask, what if my company told me that they will not renew my contract and I’m already 15weeks pregnant but I already work in that company and paid koyo hoken for 1year. What kind of benefits can I still obtain?
Thankyou for your answers..
Good day!
I would like to ask if is it possible that there’s a delay in receiving the Childcare Leave Allowance? I started receiving the 1st allowance around June 2022 and next was August and third was October so I think I’m supposed to receive this month. There’s no call or anything from my company about it.
Thank you!
Hello Ri,
Thank you for your question. The childcare leave allowance is paid approximately every two months, so it will probably be paid this month.
This allowance is paid by unemployment insurance (government), so we don’t think the company will contact you.
We hope this is of some help to you.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life
Hi
Thank you for this wonderful post.
My husband was told by his company that he can take childcare leave but he needs to apply for it by himself as they do not process it for their employees. He is a direct hire of this company. My question is, does this follow the law’s guidelines? Can employers let employees do the application or should they do it on your behalf?
Thank you
Hello S,
Thank you for your question. By reading the text, it looks like you might be referring to childcare leave benefits. Is this correct?
If the company does not apply for childcare leave benefits, your husband will be able to apply for them at Hello Work.
We hope this is of some help to you.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life
Hi,
I recently accepted an offer and joined in my new office from 01 Dec 2022. We had a baby in early jan 2023. Initially thought not to take child care leave but now I wanted to take child care leave for couple of month. is it possible for me to take? as you mentioned i should have been a employee over an a year to be eligible to take child care leave. please confirm.
Hello Sri,
Thank you for your question. Although the article states that employees should be at their company for at least a year, some companies might have other allowances available. In this case it would be a good idea to talk to your employer directly.
We hope this is of some help to you.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life
Hi,
This is Jane, I have something to ask. My company submitted my application to hello work middle August this year , and then they said my application grant and I can get allowance from childcare leave, but I need to wait 2 months after upon they application. After 2 months of waiting they said the hello work requested to submit some document that needed from my application. So my question after I send that document do I need to wait for 2 months again ? Until now I dint get anything its almost 4 months in all.
I hope you wont ignore me.
Thank you very much for reading, and hoping for your answer.
Jane
Hello Jane, thank you for your message.
Generally, the application-to-payment process for childcare leave allowance can take around 4 months from birth, and occasionally it might extend up to 7 months. You’re usually paid 2 months’ allowance together. It might be helpful to contact HelloWork to get an update on your application status and payment timeline. Since we’re not experts in this field, reaching out to HelloWork or the government office would provide more accurate information.
We hope this is of some help to you.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life
Hello,
This is Jane, I have something to ask. My company submitted my application to hello work middle august this year , and then they said my application grant and I can get allowance from childcare leave, but I need to wait 2 months after upon they application. After 2 months of waiting they said the hello work requested to submit some document that needed from my application. So my question after I send that document do I need to wait for 2 months again ? Until now I dint get anything its almost 4 months in all.
I hope you wont ignore me.
Thank you very much for reading, and hoping for your answer.
Jane
Hello Jane, thank you for your message.
Generally, the application-to-payment process for childcare leave allowance can take around 4 months from birth, and occasionally it might extend up to 7 months. You’re usually paid 2 months’ allowance together. It might be helpful to contact HelloWork to get an update on your application status and payment timeline. Since we’re not experts in this field, reaching out to HelloWork or the government office would provide more accurate information.
We hope this is of some help to you.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life
Hello,
This is Jane, I have something to ask. My company submitted my application to hello work middle July this year , and then they said my application grant and I can get allowance from childcare leave, but I need to wait 2 months after upon they application. After 2 months of waiting they said the hello work requested to submit some document that needed from my application. So my question after I send that document do I need to wait for 2 months again ? Until now I dint get anything its almost 4 months in all.
I hope you wont ignore me.
Thank you very much for reading, and hoping for your answer.
Jane
Hello Jane, thank you for your message. Generally, the application-to-payment process for childcare leave allowance can take around 4 months from birth, and occasionally it might extend up to 7 months. You’re usually paid 2 months’ allowance together. It might be helpful to contact HelloWork to get an update on your application status and payment timeline. Since we’re not experts in this field, reaching out to HelloWork or the government office would provide more accurate information. Hope this helps!
Hello Jane, thank you for your message.
Generally, the application-to-payment process for childcare leave allowance can take around 4 months from birth, and occasionally it might extend up to 7 months. You’re usually paid 2 months’ allowance together. It might be helpful to contact HelloWork to get an update on your application status and payment timeline. Since we’re not experts in this field, reaching out to HelloWork or the government office would provide more accurate information.
We hope this is of some help to you.
With warm regards,
The Tokyo Life