Japan provides strong protections for workers taking maternity and childcare leave. Childcare leave, for example, is generally available until a child turns one, with extensions possible in some circumstances.

But being entitled to take leave doesn’t necessarily mean your employer has to pay your salary while you’re away.

For many workers, the money they receive during maternity or childcare leave comes through Japan’s insurance systems instead. Maternity Allowance is connected to employee health insurance, while Childcare Leave Benefits are paid through Employment Insurance if you meet the requirements.

That’s why checking your insurance enrollment is important. You may have the right to take leave, but find that you don’t qualify for the income support you expected because you weren’t properly enrolled.

And don’t simply assume everything is correct because your employer handles the paperwork. Check your payslips, find out which insurance systems you’re enrolled in, and ask questions if something doesn’t look right. If you should have been enrolled but weren’t, that can have a significant impact when you need to take maternity or childcare leave.

Freelancers are in a different position. If you’re genuinely working as a freelancer rather than an employee, you generally won’t have the same statutory maternity and childcare leave rights or access to employee-only leave benefits through your freelance work.

For unions, this is also why maternity and childcare rights aren’t only about whether an employer “allows” someone to take leave. Workers need to be able to take the leave they’re entitled to without losing the financial support they should have had in the first place.

So if you’re planning maternity or childcare leave, don’t just check how much time you can take off. Check where your income will come from, whether you’re properly insured, and what benefits you’re entitled to.

Want to learn more about maternity, childcare leave and the benefits available to working parents? RSVP for one of our 2026 Parental Leave workshops