From 1 Jan 2021, employees in Japan will be allowed to request time off by the hour at any time during working hours to take care of a sick or injured child or family member — under measures in the revised Act on Childcare and Family Care Leave. 

To take advantage of this increased flexibility, employers must amend their rules of employment. Also, employers in certain industry sectors will be allowed to refuse hourly leave requests — for example, due to the nature or location of the work or provisions included in labor-management agreements. 

Currently, employees can request leave by the half-day to care for a sick child or family member, and employees who work four hours or fewer per day are not allowed to request time off to provide such care.  

Related resources

• Act on childcare leave, caregiver leave (Japanese) (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
• Leaflet on time for child care and family care (Japanese) (Ministry of Health, Labour and  Welfare)