Japan’s labor laws apply equally to foreign workers as to Japanese employees — the Labor Standards Act (労働基準法) does not distinguish by nationality. Understanding your core rights helps you identify when they’re being violated and know where to turn for help.
Core Labor Rights in Japan
Working hours (労働時間)
- Legal maximum: 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week (Labor Standards Act)
- Overtime requires a separate agreement (36協定 sanjūroku kyōtei) between employer and employee representative
- Overtime pay: 25% premium for regular overtime; 35% for late night (10 PM–5 AM); 60% for holiday overtime
- Japan’s 2019 Work Style Reform (働き方改革) set an overtime cap of 100 hours/month (with annual cap of 720 hours). Violations are enforceable.
Paid leave (有給休暇 yūkyū kyūka)
- Employees working 5+ days/week are entitled to paid leave: 10 days after 6 months of continuous employment, increasing to 20 days after 6.5 years
- Since 2019, employers must ensure employees use at least 5 days of paid leave annually
- Unused paid leave can typically be carried over for 1 year; unused leave at resignation is generally forfeited (except in specific circumstances)
Minimum wage (最低賃金)
- Japan’s minimum wage is set by prefecture. Tokyo’s minimum wage as of 2024: ¥1,113/hour. Other regions are lower — check your prefecture’s current minimum.
- Applies to all workers including foreign nationals and part-time workers
Social insurance (社会保険)
- Full-time employees must be enrolled in employer health insurance (健康保険) and employee pension insurance (厚生年金). Employer and employee each pay approximately half.
- Part-time workers working 20+ hours/week at companies with 51+ employees must also be enrolled (2022 reform)
Employment Contract Rights
- Employers are required to provide written employment conditions (労働条件通知書) specifying: working hours, salary, work location, leave entitlements, and conditions for dismissal
- Fixed-term contracts can be renewed repeatedly but conversion to indefinite employment is triggered after 5 years of continuous employment (無期転換 muki tenkan rule)
- Dismissal requires “objective reasonable grounds” — Japan’s dismissal rules are protective of employees. Abrupt dismissal without proper process is legally challengeable.
- 30 days’ notice (or 30 days’ pay in lieu) is required for termination by the employer
Harassment Protections
Japan’s workplace harassment legislation has strengthened significantly:
- Power harassment (パワーハラスメント): Abuse of power in workplace relationships — excessive demands, intimidation, isolation. Prohibited under the Labor Policy Comprehensive Promotion Act (2020)
- Sexual harassment (セクシャルハラスメント): Prohibited under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act
- Maternity harassment (マタニティハラスメント): Adverse treatment related to pregnancy or childcare leave. Also prohibited.
Where to Get Help
- Labor Standards Inspection Office (労働基準監督署): The enforcement arm of Japan’s labor law. File complaints about wage theft, overwork, illegal working conditions. Every prefecture has inspection offices. Some have multilingual consultation services; Tokyo’s Tokyo Labor Bureau has an international labor consultation service.
- General Union (generalunion.org): English-language labor union specifically supporting foreign workers in Japan. Membership enables collective bargaining, dispute support, and labor consultation. Tokyo and Osaka offices.
- National Union of General Workers Tokyo Nambu: Another English-capable union for dispute support.
- JFBA (Japan Federation of Bar Associations) Legal Consultation: Free initial legal consultations available at prefectural bar associations. Some have English-language consultation services.
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare consultation hotline (0120-795-895): Free consultation on labor issues. Interpretation services available for some languages.
Common Issues Foreign Workers Face
- Unpaid overtime (サービス残業): Japan’s most persistent labor violation. Keep records of actual working hours. If unpaid overtime is demanded, this is illegal regardless of custom or company culture.
- Illegal deductions: Employers cannot deduct pay for minor errors, slow performance, or training costs without specific written agreement
- Visa-tied employment pressure: Some employers exploit visa dependency to prevent workers from asserting rights. Visa status is separate from labor rights — contact the General Union or labor authorities if coerced
- Language barriers in contracts: Signing a Japanese-language contract without understanding it is risky. Request an English translation or have a translator review before signing. This is entirely reasonable to request.
Labor laws and minimum wages change. Verify current rates and regulations with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (mhlw.go.jp/english/) or a qualified labor attorney.