Childcare Leave Benefit in Japan: Conditions & Amount [2026]

If you are enrolled in employment insurance (koyo hoken) and take childcare leave, you can receive the Childcare Leave Benefit. Nationality does not matter — foreign employees qualify exactly like Japanese employees.

1. How much do you get?

• First 180 days: 67% of your wage
• From day 181: 50% (caps apply)
• The benefit is tax-free, and social insurance premiums are waived during leave, so your take-home is roughly 80% of normal pay

2. Up to 80% (almost full take-home) for the first 28 days

Since April 2025, the Post-Birth Leave Support Benefit adds 13% on top of the 67% — a total of 80% for up to 28 days — when both parents take at least 14 days of leave within 8 weeks of the birth (papa leave included). Because it is tax-free and premium-free, this is close to 100% of take-home pay. Single parents and some other cases qualify with only one parent taking leave.

3. Eligibility

• Enrolled in employment insurance (any nationality; part-time and contract workers count if enrolled)
• 12 or more months with 11+ paid working days in the 2 years before leave starts
• Fixed-term workers: your contract must not be clearly ending before the child turns 18 months

4. How long?

• Until the child turns 1 year old in principle
• Extendable to 18 months, then up to 2 years if no nursery place is available
• Up to 14 months if both parents take leave (Papa-Mama Ikukyu Plus)

5. How to apply

• Applications go to Hello Work through your employer — tell your company you will take leave and ask them to file
• Claims are made every 2 months; the first payment arrives about 2-3 months after leave starts

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FAQ

Can foreign workers receive this benefit?Yes. Nationality is irrelevant — if you are enrolled in employment insurance and meet the conditions, you receive it like any Japanese employee.

Can fathers receive it?Yes, if conditions are met. Papa leave (post-birth childcare leave) pays 67%, and if both parents take leave the 13% top-up applies for up to 28 days.

What happens to my health insurance and pension during leave?Premiums are waived upon application, and the waived period still counts toward your pension record, so your future pension does not decrease.