Working hours, overtime & paid leave in Japan
Japan has a reputation for long hours — but the law that governs work here, the Labor Standards Act, actually sets firm limits and requires premium pay the moment you go past them. And crucially, these rules protect every worker regardless of nationality. Here’s what the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) says you’re entitled to.
The basic limits
As a rule, an employer may not have you work more than 40 hours a week or 8 hours a day, and must give at least one day off per week (or four days within any four-week period). For shifts over 6 hours you get a 45-minute break; over 8 hours, a full hour — taken during the day, not tacked onto the start or end.
Overtime needs an agreement — the “36 Agreement”
Overtime isn’t something an employer can simply demand. They must first conclude a labour–management agreement — the saburoku kyotei (“Agreement 36”), named after Article 36 — with the majority of workers and file it with the Labour Standards Inspection Office. Only then can they, in MHLW’s words, have workers “engage in overtime work and work on days off within the scope of the agreement.” The employer must also display a copy so everyone knows the limits.
Even with an Agreement 36 in place, overtime is capped:
- In principle: 45 hours/month and 360 hours/year.
- Special-circumstance exceptions: still within 720 hours/year, and monthly overtime plus holiday work must stay under 100 hours.
Premium pay rates
Go beyond normal hours and the law sets minimum premium (increased) wage rates:
| Type of work | Minimum premium |
|---|---|
| Overtime (beyond statutory hours) | at least +25% |
| Overtime beyond 60 hours in one month | at least +50% (for hours past 60) |
| Night work (10:00pm–5:00am) | at least +25% |
| Work on a statutory day off | at least +35% |
These stack. MHLW’s own example: overtime worked late at night must be paid at least 150% of the regular wage — “in this case at least 1,800 yen an hour” on a ¥1,200/hr base. These are floors; company rules or a collective agreement can set them higher.
Paid annual leave (yukyu)
You earn paid leave once you’ve been continuously employed for 6 months and reported for work on at least 80% of scheduled days. It starts at 10 days and grows with tenure:
| Years of continuous service | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 6.5+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paid-leave days granted | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 |
Workers with fewer than 30 prescribed hours a week get a prorated schedule based on days worked. Since 2019, employers are obliged to ensure you actually take at least 5 days of leave a year if you’re granted 10 or more. Unused leave lapses after 2 years, and your employer can’t penalise you for taking it. If dates clash with genuine business needs they may ask you to shift them — but “chronic understaffing” is not a permitted reason.
The same rules apply to foreign workers
This is worth repeating because it’s often misunderstood. MHLW states these laws “apply to everyone irrespective of nationality in the same way,” and the Labor Standards Act itself prohibits “discriminatory treatment with respect to wages, working hours or other working conditions by reason of the nationality” of a worker. If your reality differs from the above, MHLW runs a free multilingual working-conditions hotline and Foreign Worker Consultation Corners.
Related: how deductions come out of your pay in our payslip guide, and the employment-insurance safety net if you lose your job.
Frequently asked questions
Can my employer make me work overtime whenever they want?
No. Overtime and holiday work are only lawful if the employer has concluded and filed an “Agreement 36” (saburoku kyotei) with the Labour Standards Inspection Office. Even then, overtime is capped — in principle 45 hours/month and 360 hours/year, with narrow exceptions up to 720 hours/year (MHLW).
How much extra should I be paid for overtime, night or holiday work?
At least 25% extra for overtime, at least 25% extra for night work (10pm–5am), and at least 35% extra for work on a statutory day off. These stack (e.g. late-night overtime), and overtime beyond 60 hours in a single month must be paid at 50% extra (MHLW).
When do I earn paid leave and how many days?
After 6 months of continuous employment with at least 80% attendance you get 10 days, rising with tenure to 20 days at 6.5+ years for full-time workers (shorter-hours workers get a prorated amount). Employers must ensure you actually take at least 5 of those days each year.
Can my employer refuse my leave because we’re short-staffed?
MHLW is explicit that chronic understaffing is not a valid reason to deny or reschedule leave. An employer may only shift your requested dates if granting them would genuinely disrupt normal business operations — and must then offer alternative dates.
Do these rules apply to me as a foreign worker?
Yes. MHLW states the laws apply to everyone irrespective of nationality, and the Labor Standards Act itself bans discrimination in wages, hours or conditions by reason of nationality.
This is general information drawn from MHLW’s official plain-language handbook for foreign workers (2026-07-13), not a full legal translation. Some industries (agriculture, livestock, fishery) are exempt from the hour/rest-day limits, and special rules phase in for a few sectors. For your own situation, check with a Labour Standards Inspection Office or MHLW’s consultation service.
Sources
- MHLW — Working Conditions Handbook for Foreign Nationals (English, official) (retrieved 2026-07-13)
- MHLW — Foreign Worker Consultation / Working Conditions (portal) (retrieved 2026-07-13)
- Osaka Labour Bureau — Encouraging Workers to Take Annual Paid Leave (English) (retrieved 2026-07-13)