Japan Strengthens Childcare and Family Care Leave Laws: 5 New Requirements for Employers

Parents of young children and adults who care for elderly parents in Japan can now benefit from flexible working arrangements thanks to the country’s amended Childcare and Family Care Leave legislation. Amendments were released in April 2025 and October 2025.

Together, the April and October amendments:

1. Allow eligible parents to request exemption from overtime work.
2. Permit parents to use short-term leave for school-related matters, including school closures due to emergencies such as a pandemic.
3. Mandate an effort by employers to offer remote working options to workers who have a child under the age of three or family members who need continuous care.
4. Require employers to provide: a) Information on public programs that help with care for the elderly to employees aged 40 and over; and b) information on public programs that help parents balance work and childcare to employees who are pregnant, gave birth, or have a child under the age of three.
5. Require employers to offer at least two of the following options to parents with children between the ages of three and six: a) Flexible start and finish times (for example, flextime or staggered hours); b) telework / remote options for at least 10 working days per month; c) employer-provided or supported childcare (including babysitter services); d) a “work-childcare balance leave” of at least 10 days per year, usable by the hour; and e) a “short-hours” working system.

Additionally, the April amendments require businesses with more than 300 employees to disclose the percentage of staff who take childcare leave each year. (Previously, the threshold was set at companies with more than 1,000 employees.)

Sources: DLA Piper, Littler, Squire Patton Boggs, Fisher Phillips