Amendments made in June 2021 to the Child and Family Care Leave Act established a new version of parental leave to make it easier for fathers to take time off (up to four weeks) immediately upon the birth of their children. The new rules provide for the introduction, from 01 April 2022, of progressive provisions likely to facilitate the effectiveness of this new parental leave.
The governmental goal is for 30% of male employees to be taking parental leave by 2025, which is considerably more than the 7.48% of males who in 2019 chose to do so. Paradoxically, Japan has long had one of the most generous paternity leave systems in the world, yet few fathers actually take advantage of it due to longstanding gender stereotypes.
Do you have information to share with us?