Maternity and parental leave in Japan: dates
Enter the due date, and see when the pre-birth leave, the post-birth leave and the childcare leave start and end in Japan, and the dates of the father's leave in the first weeks after birth. The periods follow Japanese law.
Maternity leave and childcare leave are two systems
In Japan, maternity leave is the time off before and after the birth, and it is set by the Labor Standards Act. Childcare leave is the time off to raise the child, and it is set by the Childcare and Family Care Leave Act. Childcare leave normally starts the day after the post-birth leave ends. The table shows the main periods.
| Leave | Period | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-birth leave | From 6 weeks before the due date (14 weeks for a multiple pregnancy) until the birth, if the woman requests it | Labor Standards Act, Article 65, paragraph 1 |
| Post-birth leave | 8 weeks from the day after the birth. After 6 weeks the woman may ask to return to work that a doctor approves | Labor Standards Act, Article 65, paragraph 2 |
| Childcare leave | Normally until the day the child reaches age 1, which is the day before the first birthday | Childcare and Family Care Leave Act, Article 5 |
| Extensions | Up to 1 year and 6 months, and then up to age 2, if the conditions are met | Childcare and Family Care Leave Act, Article 5 |
| When both parents take leave | Until the child reaches 1 year and 2 months | Childcare and Family Care Leave Act, Article 9-6 |
| Father's leave in the first weeks (Papa Ikukyu) | Up to 4 weeks (28 days) within 8 weeks of the birth | Childcare and Family Care Leave Act, Article 9-2 |
How to use the calculator
Enter the due date. If you are expecting twins or more, tick the box. The result shows the first day of the pre-birth leave, the pre-birth and post-birth periods, the first day of the mother's childcare leave, and the day the child reaches age 1. It also shows the father's leave window and the dates for leave taken by both parents and for extensions.
After the baby is born, enter the actual birth date too. If the baby is born after the due date, the extra days count as pre-birth leave. If the baby is born early, the pre-birth leave is shorter, but the post-birth leave is still 8 weeks from the day after the birth.
Pre-birth leave: from 6 weeks before
A pregnant woman may ask for leave from 6 weeks before the due date, or 14 weeks for twins or more. If she does not ask, she can keep working. The day of the birth counts as pre-birth leave. The Japan Health Insurance Association counts the days this way: the 42 days include the day of birth, so the first day is 41 days before the due date. If the baby is born on January 1, the pre-birth period starts on November 21 of the year before, and the post-birth period ends on February 26.
Post-birth leave: 8 weeks
An employer must not make a woman work in the 8 weeks after the birth. After 6 weeks, a woman who wants to return may ask to do work that a doctor says is safe. The 56th day after the birth is the last day of the post-birth leave. It is the same length whether the baby comes early or late.
Childcare leave: until the day before the first birthday
Childcare leave can last until the child reaches age 1. In age counting, a child reaches age 1 on the day before the first birthday. The mother's childcare leave normally starts the day after the post-birth leave. The father can take it from the day the baby is born. It can be split into two periods.
When the spouse also takes childcare leave, the leave can last until the child reaches 1 year and 2 months. If the child cannot get a daycare place or there is a similar reason, it can be extended to 1 year and 6 months, and then to age 2. You ask your employer before the leave starts. Workers on fixed-term contracts can take it only if their contract will not clearly end before the child reaches 1 year and 6 months, or age 2 for the second extension.
The father's leave in the first weeks
A father can take up to 4 weeks (28 days) of leave within 8 weeks of the birth, in two parts. If the baby is born before the due date, the window runs from the birth to 8 weeks after the due date. If the baby is born after the due date, it runs from the due date to 8 weeks after the birth. It is a separate system from normal childcare leave.
Money during the leave
If a woman takes leave and is not paid, her health insurance pays a childbirth allowance for the days from 42 days before the birth to 56 days after it. The daily amount is two-thirds of the standard daily remuneration, which is one-thirtieth of the average of the standard monthly remuneration over the last 12 months. For an average of ¥170,000, that is ¥5,670 a day, and two-thirds of it is ¥3,780. The health insurance also pays a childbirth lump sum of ¥500,000 per child at medical institutions in the obstetric compensation system, and ¥488,000 otherwise.
During childcare leave, employment insurance pays a childcare leave benefit of 67% of the daily wage for the first 180 days, and 50% after that. The daily wage is the total wages of the last 6 months divided by 180, with an upper limit of ¥16,540 a day until July 31, 2027. The benefit is not taxed. The child allowance is separate: ¥15,000 a month for a child under 3 and ¥10,000 from age 3, through high-school age. Third and later children get ¥30,000.
What this page leaves out
- Your employer's work rules may give you more leave or different rules. Ask your employer.
- Civil servants and others have different systems.
- The conditions for the benefits depend on your employer and your insurance. Ask your insurer or Hello Work.
- This page explains the periods. It is not advice on your own case.
Frequently asked questions
When does maternity leave start in Japan?
Pre-birth leave can start 6 weeks before the due date, or 14 weeks for twins or more, if the woman requests it. For a due date of April 10, that is February 28.
How long is the post-birth leave?
8 weeks, counted from the day after the birth. An employer must not make a woman work in this time, except for work she asks for after 6 weeks that a doctor says is safe.
How long can I take childcare leave in Japan?
Normally until the child reaches age 1, which is the day before the first birthday. It can be extended to 1 year and 6 months, and then to age 2, for example when there is no daycare place. If both parents take leave, it can last until the child is 1 year and 2 months.
What is the father's leave after birth?
It is called Papa Ikukyu in Japan. A father can take up to 4 weeks (28 days) within 8 weeks of the birth, in two parts. It is separate from normal childcare leave.
How is the childbirth allowance paid?
If you are covered by an employer's health insurance and you are not paid during the leave, you get two-thirds of your standard daily remuneration for each day of leave from 42 days before the birth to 56 days after it.
Sources
- Labor Standards Act, Article 65: pre-birth and post-birth leave (e-Gov, in Japanese)
- Childcare and Family Care Leave Act, Articles 5, 9-2 and 9-6 (e-Gov, in Japanese)
- Health Insurance Act, Article 102: childbirth allowance, 42 days before to 56 days after (e-Gov, in Japanese)
- Japan Health Insurance Association: Guidebook 2026, with the childbirth allowance and the calculation example (English)
- Japan Health Insurance Association: childbirth lump sum, ¥500,000 per child (in Japanese)
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: guide to childcare leave benefits, August 2026 edition (in Japanese)
- Children and Families Agency: guide to the child allowance (in Japanese)
- Your employer's rules and your insurance can differ. Check with them.
Related pages
Last updated: 2026-10-04