Childbirth and Child-Raising Programs for Working Mothers and Fathers
− CONTENTS −
①When you find out you're pregnant
②Workplace life during pregnancy
③Taking maternity leave before and after birth
④Returning to work from maternity leave after birth
⑦Continuing work while raising a young child
⑧For inquiries concerning the preceding information, contact your prefecture's Labor Bureau.
⑨When you want to use a day‑care centre, etc.
⑩Re-employment support for workers who resigned for childcare or other such reasons
⑪Support programmes for pregnant women
⑫Lump‑sum childbirth and childcare allowance (generally ¥500,000)
⑬Maternity allowance (generally two‑thirds of salary)
⑭Exemption from various insurance premiums
①When you find out you're pregnant
●Tell your employer soon about your delivery due date and your plans to take leave
●If receiving a health checkup for expectant mothers or health guidance requires time, ask your employer toprovide the time off to do so
If you request time off from your job for this purpose, your employer must provide you the sufficient time to receive a health checkup and so on. (It is up to the company as to whether this time off is paid or not.)
●When choosing a birth facility, try using “Shussan Navi,” which lets you filter searches by region and services and view detailed information on each site. You can check a facility’s profile, the midwifery care and extra services offered, and childbirth costs.
*Shussan Navi (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
●Prenatal health check‑ups (Ninpu Kenshin)
Prenatal check‑ups regularly monitor the health of both mother and baby. During pregnancy, pay extra attention to your well‑being: attend appointments on schedule, consult doctors or midwives, follow advice suited to your situation, and prepare for delivery and childcare.
Public subsidies are available to help cover check‑up costs. Once you find out you are pregnant, submit a pregnancy notification to your local municipality.
●Number of prenatal check‑ups
Once every four weeks until the 23rd week of pregnancy, once every two weeks from the 24th to 35th weeks of pregnancy, and once every week from the 36th week of pregnancy until delivery (or the frequency suggested by your physician or midwife (hereafter referred to as "physician or medical professional") .
●• If you receive instructions from a physician or other medical professional at a health checkup for expectant mothers or other such examination
If a physician or other medical professional advises you to ease commuting difficulties, to take an extended leave, or to work shorter hours, limit your work duties or take a leave of absence to deal with morning sickness, swelling or other symptoms, make a request to your employer so they can take the necessary steps for you.
To make sure your employer fully understands this guidance that was provided to you, have the person providing this guidance fill out a Maternal Health Maintenance Information Card. (You can make an enlarged copy of this sample to use for yourself.) Using this card is an effective way to convey the message to your employer. When an employee submits a request, the employer must take appropriate measures in line with the physician’s guidance.
*Maternal Health Management Instruction Card
●If diagnosed with infertility by a physician or medical professional, you may be advised to have more frequent prenatal check-ups than usual, or to start maternity leave earlier than the normal prenatal leave period. These are also considered part of maternal health management measures, so you should inform your employer and take the necessary steps.
②Workplace life during pregnancy
●• Application of restrictions to work outside of normal working hours, work on holidays, limits to late-night work, and limits to irregular working hours
Pregnant women have the right to request exemption from overtime work, holiday work, and late-night shifts. Even under a flexible working hours system, they can request not to work more than 8 hours per day or exceed 40 hours per week.
●• Shifting to light work duties
During pregnancy, you can request that your duties be switched to other lighter tasks.
●Employment Restrictions on Hazardous and Harmful Work:
It is not permissible to assign pregnant women to tasks that are harmful to pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing.
③Taking maternity leave before and after birth
●Maternity leave before birth
You can receive maternity leave if you submitted a request more than six weeks before the due date (or in the case of multiple pregnancy), 14 weeks).
●Maternity leave after birth
You cannot work during the eight weeks following delivery. However, once six weeks have passed after delivery, you may ask a physician to permit you to work. If the physician acknowledges there are no health concerns, it is possible to return to work.
●In addition to permanent employees (seishain), anybody, including part-time workers (baito, paato) and temporary workers (haken), can receive maternity leave before and after birth.
●A miscarriage or stillbirth occurring at 4 months of pregnancy or later entitles you to postnatal leave. Even if the miscarriage or stillbirth occurs before the 4th month, you are eligible for maternal health management measures for a year. Therefore, if there is guidance from a medical professional, you should inform your employer and take the necessary steps.
④Returning to work from maternity leave after birth
●Childcare hours
Women raising children under the age of one may request childcare time in the form of at least two breaks a day, with each break lasting 30 minutes.
●Maternal healthcare maintenance steps
During the first year after giving birth, a woman who has received instructions from a physician or other medical professional may request that she be guaranteed enough time to receive a health checkup or the like. In addition, a woman receiving such instructions may take advantage of the necessary maternal healthcare maintenance steps.
●• Application of restrictions to work outside of normal working hours, work on holidays, limits to late-night work, and limits to irregular working hours
Women who have not passed one year postpartum can make the same requests as during pregnancy.
●Employment Restrictions on Hazardous and Harmful Work:
It is not permissible to assign women who have not passed one year postpartum to tasks that are harmful to pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing.
⑤Taking childcare leave
● The childcare leave system
Male and female employees who are raising children under the age of one may take leave to raise their child during a desired period. Taking parental leave is a right of workers established by law, so you can take it even if your company's work rules do not have provisions regarding parental leave. If you encounter any difficulties, please consult with the prefectural labor bureau.
If you are enrolled in employment insurance and meet the requirements, you can receive parental leave benefits during your leave period. The benefit amount is 67% of your pre-leave wage for the first 180 days, and 50% thereafter. If both parents take parental leave, the benefit amount may be increased.
For more information, please contact your local Public Employment Security Office (Hello Work).
●People who may take childcare leave
In addition to permanent employees (seishain), part- time workers (paato), temporary workers (haken) and other laborers on fixed-term contracts may take childcare leave if they fulfill certain conditions.
●Postnatal Paternity Leave (Childcare Leave at the Time of Birth)
Fathers can take up to 4 weeks of leave, separate from parental leave, within 8 weeks after the birth of their child for childcare purposes. If there is a labor-management agreement in place at the company, employees may work during their leave to the extent that they agree to it.
●Extending childcare leave
Childcare leave may be extended until the child reaches 18 months of age if the child is not placed in daycare after returning one year old, (or it may be extended until the child reaches the age of two if the child is not placed in daycare after turning 18 months old).
● Procedures for taking childcare leave
You must make a written request to your employer in order to take childcare leave. First, consult with your company about taking parental leave, and then submit the parental leave application form to your company at least one month before the start of the leave (or two weeks before, depending on the company's policy).
⑥Zero tolerance for being put at a disadvantage or harassment because an employee is pregnant, gives birth or takes childcare leave
Disadvantageous treatment, such as termination, rejection of contract renewal or demotion are prohibited for reason of an employee being pregnant, giving birth, taking childcare leave or other such reason. In addition, an employer is obligated to prevent harassment in the workplace relating to pregnancy, childbirth or taking childcare or family-care leave. If you are subjected to harassment, first consult with your employer. If you encounter any difficulties, please consult with the prefectural labor bureau as well.
⑦Continuing work while raising a young child
After taking childcare lleave, consider using the following systems to continue working while raising your child.
●•Short work hours system
An employer must offer male and female employees raising children under the age of three short work hours (generally six hours per day).
If you are enrolled in employment insurance and meet certain conditions, you may receive a childcare short-time work benefit (10% of your wages) while using the short work hours system to raise a child under the age of two.
For more information, please contact your local Public Employment Security Office (Hello Work).
●Limitations on extra working hours (exemption from overtime work)
If an employer receives a request from a male or female employee raising children under the age of three, the employer shall not have the requesting employee work extra hours. From 1 April 2025, this right will extend to employees raising children up to the start of elementary school.
●Sick/injured child care leave
A male or female employee who is raising a child under elementary age may submit a request to their employer to take extra leave in order to provide nursing care for an ill or injured child, or for the child to receive immunizations or receive a health checkup. This leave, which is in addition to annual paid leave, may be taken in increments of full days or half days, up to a total of five days off per year for an employee with one child or 10 days per year for an employee with two or more children.
From 1 April 2025, eligible children will include those up to third grade in elementary school. Leave may also be taken for class closures caused by infectious disease, as well as entrance and graduation ceremonies.
The leave will be renamed “Child Care and Nursing Leave.”
●Limitations on overtime or late-night work
If an employer receives a request from a male or female employee raising children under elementary age, the employer shall not have the requesting employee work overtime hours in excess of 24 hours in a month or 150 hours in a year. In addition, the employee shall not be made to work late at night (between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.).
Measures for flexible working styles
This programme begins on 1 October 2025.
Employers with workers raising children aged three up to school entry must adopt at least two measures—such as flexible start times, telework for ten or more days a month, on‑site or affiliated childcare, at least ten days of work–child‑rearing balance leave per year, or a short‑hours schedule.
Employees may choose and use one of the options their company provides.
⑧For inquiries concerning the preceding information, contact your prefecture's Labor Bureau.
(Employment Environment and Equal Employment Department/Offices) List of Locations
Additional useful information is also available. Please take a look.
⑨When you want to use a day‑care centre, etc.
Search for certified kodomo‑en, day‑care centres, and kindergartens by area or nearest station. Facility details appear with map information, so use “Koko de Search” for child‑rearing guidance.
*Koko de Search (Child and Child‑Rearing Support Information Disclosure System) website
Some municipalities also run services—sometimes called childcare concierges—that help parents use kodomo‑en, day‑care centres, temporary care, and other options. If you plan to go back to work and need day‑care, collect information early and select services that fit your family’s needs; ask your municipal office for advice.
●Kodomo Dare Demo Tsuuen System (Universal Nursery Attendance Program)
Launched in fiscal 2025, this system lets families use nursery services flexibly in hourly blocks, up to a set number of hours per month, without employment requirements, in addition to current early‑childhood education and care benefits.
Starting in fiscal year 2026, the program will be available in municipalities across the country. It can be used in ways that suit a variety of work styles and lifestyles. Check with your municipality for details.
⑩Re-employment support for workers who resigned for childcare or other such reasons
●At "Mother's Hello Work" and "Mother's Corner," where you can consult comfortably even with children in tow, dedicated staff support job-seeking activities tailored to each individual's situation and introduce positions that make it easier to balance work and childcare.
Mother's Hello Work Program (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
●Basic allowance (unemployment benefits) under employment insurance can, in principle, be received during the period of job-hunting within a year after leaving a job (benefit period) .
However, if during that benefit period, you are unable to job‑hunt for 30 consecutive days or more due to pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, illness, injury, etc., it's possible to extend the period by that number of days for receiving employment insurance benefits (up to four years after leaving a job).
* Public Employment Security Office (Hello Work)
⑪Support programmes for pregnant women
This is a financial support system for pregnant women, where ¥50,000 is provided upon application when pregnancy is confirmed, and an additional ¥50,000 per child (legally considered as fetuses) is granted upon declaration of the number of children.
The payment method varies by municipality, so please contact your local government office directly.
⑫Lump‑sum childbirth and childcare allowance (generally ¥500,000)
When you give birth, a lump-sum allowance of ¥500,000 per child is generally provided by your health insurance association or equivalent provider.
Application methods differ by birth facility. Where “direct payment” or “proxy receipt” systems are in place, completing the necessary paperwork beforehand can reduce the amount due at discharge.
For payment conditions and procedures, contact your health‑insurance association.
⑬Maternity allowance (generally two‑thirds of salary)
If you are covered by your employer’s health‑insurance association, you will receive a maternity allowance equal to two‑thirds of your salary during prenatal and postnatal leave.
If you receive wages while on leave, the amount may change. Submit the required notice through your employer, and ask your workplace or health‑insurance society for details.
⑭Exemption from various insurance premiums
If you are enrolled in National Health Insurance or the National Pension (Category I), your premiums are waived during the prenatal and postnatal period. File a notice at your municipal office. You can also submit National Pension exemptions electronically via Mynaportal.
If you are enrolled in employees’ health insurance and pension through your workplace, your premiums are waived during prenatal/postnatal and childcare leave. Submit the notice through your employer.
*These exemption periods count as paid contributions and will be reflected in your future pension benefits.
⑮Child allowance
A person raising a child can receive benefits. The amount of the benefit varies according to the recipient's income, age of children and other factors. You must apply for this benefit at your local municipality (or your employer if a civil servant) within 15 days from the day after your child is born.
* "Guide to the Child Allowance System" (Children and Families Agency)
⑯Childcare leave benefits
This is a system that subsidises children’s medical expenses. You can receive assistance by completing the procedure at your local municipality. Because the eligible ages and subsidy details differ by prefecture and municipality, be sure to check what is available.
(References)
*Support Website for Working Women’s Mind and Body (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
*Shussan Navi (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
Ikumen Project (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)