Japan

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2022 Score

72.5

Stagnant

2020 Score

72.5

Rating

Reasonable Access to
Decent Work

Fair
Wages

80

Decent
Working Hours

60

Employment
Security

40

Family
Responsibilities

75

Maternity
at Work

80

Safe
Work

100

Social
Security

100

Fair
Treatment

40

Child &
Forced Labour

100

Trade
Union

50

1. Fair Wages
2. Decent Working Hours
3. Employment Security
4. Family Responsibilities
5. Maternity at Work
6. Safe Work
7. Social Security
8. Fair Treatment
9. Child & Forced Labour
10. Trade Union

Fair Wages

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law prescribe minimum wage rates in the country?Yes1Minimum Wages Act, 1959; §24-27 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947
Does the law require regular payment of wages?Yes1§11, 24 & 89 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §2(3) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1959
Does the law require overtime compensation be at least 125% of the regular hourly rate?Yes1§37 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947
Does the law require additional compensation for working on a weekly rest day?No0§33(2), 37(1), and 37(2) of the Labour Standards Act, 1947
Does the law require additional compensation for night work?Yes1§37 & 60-64 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947

Decent Working Hours

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law stipulate general working hours as 48 hours or lower?Yes1§32-41 and 60-66 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §35 of the Labour Contract Act, 2007
Does the law restrict maximum working hours including overtime to 56 hours per week?Yes1§36 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §16(1) & 18 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Labour Standards Act, 1947
Does the law require a weekly rest of at least 24 hours?Yes1§35 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §12-2 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Labour Standards Act
Does the law require paid public holidays?No0The National Holidays Act, 1948
Does the law require at least three working weeks of paid annual leave?No0§39 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §24(3) & 25 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Labour Standards Act, 1947

Employment Security

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require written employment contracts or at least written employment particulars?Yes1§14, 15 & 89 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947
Does the law restrict the hiring of fixed-term contract workers?No0§14 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §18 & 19 of the Labour Contract Act, 2007
Does the law limit the length of probation period including renewals to a maximum of 3 months?No0§ 20 & 21 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947
Does the law require a 30-day notice before contract termination?Yes1§3, 19-22, and 104 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §627 of the Civil Code, 1896
Does the law require severance pay at the rate of at least 2 weeks of wages for every year of service?No0No applicable legal provisions could be located

Family Responsibilities

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require parental leave for parents?Yes1§2-16 & 61 of the Child Care and Family Care Leave Act, 1991; §61-4 to 7 of the Employment Insurance Act, 1974
Does the law require at least one week of paid paternity leave for fathers?No0No applicable legal provisions could be located
Does the law require flexible work arrangements for workers with family responsibilities?Yes1§2, 5-10 & 17-29 of the Child Care and Family Care Leave Act, 1991; §12-13 of the Equal Opportunity Act 1985
Does the law require paid nursing breaks?Yes1§67 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §23 of the Child Care and Family Care Leave Act, 1991

Maternity at Work

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law prohibits inquiring about pregnancy during recruitment?No0§9 & 11 of the Act on Securing Equal Opportunities and Treatment for Men and Women in Employment, 1972
Does the law require paid maternity leave of at least 14 weeks?Yes1§9 & 65 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §5-9 of the Child Care and Family Care Leave Act, 1991
Does the law require cash maternity benefit be at least 67% of a worker's former wage?Yes1§6, 8, 61 & 66 of the Employment Insurance Act, 1974; National Health Insurance Law
Does the law require maternity benefit be paid through contributory social insurance or universal benefits system?Yes1§6, 8, 61 & 66 of the Employment Insurance Act, 1974; National Health Insurance Law
Does the law protect workers from dismissals during or on account of pregnancy?Yes119 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §9 of the Equal Opprtunity Act 1972; §10 & 16 of the Child Care and Family Care Leave Act, 1991

Safe Work

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require provision of free personal protective equipment to workers from employer?Yes1§57-3 & 119 of the Industrial Safety and Health Act, 1972
Does the law require the employer to train workers on health and safety issues?Yes1§ 25-2, 59, 69 and 119-120 of the Industrial Safety and Health Act, 1972
Does the law restrict work that is prejudicial to the health of the mother or the child?Yes164-66 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §3 of the Industrial Safety and Health Act, 1972
Does the law provide for employment injury benefit?Yes1§75-77 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §14 & Appended Table 1 of the Industrial Accident Compensation Act, 1947

Social Security

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law provide for an old age pension?Yes1Employees’ pension insurance Act, 1954; National Pension Act, 1959
Does the law provide for a dependants'/survivors' pension?Yes1Employees’ pension insurance Act, 1954; National Pension Act, 1959
Does the law provide for unemployment benefit?Yes1§6, 13, 16, 22, 23 of the Employment Insurance Act, 1974
Does the law require paid sick leave for the first 6 months of sickness?Yes1§19, 75-76 & 81 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; Employees Health Insurance Act, 1922
Does the law provide for invalidity benefit?Yes1Employees’ pension insurance Act, 1954; National Pension Act, 1959

Fair Treatment

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require equal remuneration for work of equal value?No0§3-4 & 119 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947
Does the law prohibit sexual harassment in employment?No0§715 of the Civil Code; §11 of the Equal Opportunity Act, 1972
Does the law prohibit discrimination in employment matters?Yes1§14 of the Constitution of Japan, 1947; §3 & 119 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §5&6 of the Equal Opportunity Act, 1972
Does the law allow women to do the same jobs as men?No0§22 of the Constitution of Japan, 1947; §2 of the Equal Opportunity Act, 1972; §2 of the Employment Security Act, 1947
Does the law guarantee basic labour protections for gig economy workers?Yes1National Pension Act (1959:141); ISSA Country Profile for Japan

Child & Forced Labour

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law prohibit employment of children?Yes1§56, 58, and 118 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §5 & 283 of the Civil Code of Japan, 1896
Does the law set employment entry age equal to or higher than the compulsory schooling age?Yes1§56, 58, and 118 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; §5 of the Basic Act on Education, 2006
Does the law prohibit the employment of children in hazardous work under the age of 18 years?Yes1§61-63 & 118-119 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947
Does the law prohibit forced labour?Yes1§18 of the Constitution of Japan, 1947; §5 & 117 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947

Trade Union

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law allow workers to form and join unions of their own choice?Yes1§28 of the Constitution of Japan, 1947; §1-7 & 14 of the Labour Union Act, 1949
Does the law allow workers to bargain collectively with employers through their representative unions?Yes1§7 & 14-17 of the Labour Union Act, 1949; §92 of the Labour Standards Act, 1947; USDOS CRHRP 2021
Does the law provide for the right to strike?No0§8 of the Labour Union Act, 1949; §6- 7 & 37-39 of the Labour Relations Adjustment Act, 1946; CEACR C87 Obs. 2021
Does the law prohibit employers from terminating employment contracts of striking workers?No0§1 & 98 & 110 of National Public Service Act 1947