How is childcare leave benefit in Japan calculated?

Your pay in the 6 months before leave, without bonuses, is divided by 180 to get a daily wage. You get 67% of it for the first 180 days of leave and 50% after that, paid per 30-day period.

What is the maximum childcare leave benefit per month?

From August 1, 2026 the daily wage is capped at ¥16,540. That makes the maximum ¥332,454 a month at 67% and ¥248,100 at 50%. The caps change every August 1.

Can foreigners get childcare leave benefit in Japan?

Nationality is not a condition. You need employment insurance and at least 12 months with 11 or more paid days in the 2 years before leave.

What is the 13% post-birth support benefit?

With 14 days or more of leave soon after the birth, you get an extra 13% of your daily wage for up to 28 days. Your partner also needs 14 days of leave, unless they are not an employee or you have none.

Guide, sources and FAQ | Japan Childcare Leave Benefit Calculator

▶ Open the Japan Childcare Leave Benefit Calculator

How to use it

This page covers the benefits an employee in Japan gets around a birth: maternity allowance, childcare leave benefit (ikuji kyugyo kyufukin), the 13% top-up and the childbirth lump sum.

Choose whether you are giving birth or your partner is.
Enter your monthly salary before tax, without bonuses.
Enter the due date.
Below the result, change the leave dates, your partner’s leave and your pay slip details if you know them.

How the benefits are calculated

Daily wage: your pay in the 6 months before leave, without bonuses, divided by 180. It is capped at ¥16,540 and raised to at least ¥3,203.
Childcare leave benefit: 67% of the daily wage for the first 180 days, then 50%. A full period is 30 days, so the maximum is ¥332,454 a month, then ¥248,100.
Maternity allowance (health insurance): 2/3 of your standard monthly remuneration ÷ 30, for 42 days before the birth and 56 days after it.
13% top-up: if you take 14 days or more of leave soon after the birth, you get 13% of the daily wage for up to 28 days.
Childbirth lump sum: ¥500,000 per baby, usually paid straight to the hospital.

Paternity leave, the partner rule and the premium waiver

Postnatal paternity leave (sango papa ikukyu) is up to 28 days within 8 weeks of the birth, paid at 67%. Those days count toward the 180 days at 67%.
For the 13% top-up, the parent who gave birth needs the partner to take 14 days or more of leave within 8 weeks. The rule is waived if the partner is not an employee or there is no partner.
Health and pension insurance premiums are waived for months you are on leave at the end of the month. The calculator prices this at Kyokai Kenpo Tokyo rates.
The caps on this page apply from August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027. They change every August 1.

Who qualifies, and when it is paid

Nationality is not a condition. You need to be covered by employment insurance at work. You also need at least 12 months with 11 or more paid days in the 2 years before your leave starts.

Your employer usually applies to Hello Work for 2 payment periods at a time, after they end. Payment arrives about a week after the decision. So the first childcare leave benefit comes more than 2 months after leave starts. Maternity allowance is claimed from your health insurer, usually after maternity leave ends.

These benefits are not taxed. Residence tax is still charged on last year’s income during leave.

Sources and date checked

Sources: Employment Insurance Act, Health Insurance Act, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and Kyokai Kenpo. Checked September 24, 2026.

All sources (in Japanese)

Employment Insurance Act (e-Gov): Articles 14 (insured months), 17 (daily wage), 61-7 (childcare leave benefit), 61-8 (paternity leave benefit), 61-10 (13% top-up)
Health Insurance Act (e-Gov): Articles 99 and 102 (maternity allowance), 101 (childbirth lump sum), 159 (premium waiver)
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: childcare leave benefits leaflet, August 2026
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: caps from August 1, 2026
Kyokai Kenpo: maternity allowance and childbirth lump sum

The calculator uses the same value file and calculation as the Japanese childcare leave calculator on this site.

Frequently asked questions

How is childcare leave benefit in Japan calculated?: Your pay in the 6 months before leave, without bonuses, is divided by 180 to get a daily wage. You get 67% of it for the first 180 days of leave and 50% after that, paid per 30-day period.
What is the maximum childcare leave benefit per month?: From August 1, 2026 the daily wage is capped at ¥16,540. That makes the maximum ¥332,454 a month at 67% and ¥248,100 at 50%. The caps change every August 1.
Can foreigners get childcare leave benefit in Japan?: Nationality is not a condition. You need employment insurance and at least 12 months with 11 or more paid days in the 2 years before leave.
What is the 13% post-birth support benefit?: With 14 days or more of leave soon after the birth, you get an extra 13% of your daily wage for up to 28 days. Your partner also needs 14 days of leave, unless they are not an employee or you have none.
When is childcare leave benefit paid?: Your employer usually applies to Hello Work for 2 payment periods at a time, after they end. Payment arrives about a week after the decision, so the first payment comes more than 2 months after leave starts.

Notes and your data

This is an estimate. The final amounts are decided by your health insurer and Hello Work.
Your inputs are saved only in this browser (localStorage, key seido-keisan_childcareleave_draft) and are never sent anywhere.
This is not legal or tax advice. Ask your employer or Hello Work about your own case.

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Changelog

October 3, 2026 Published (caps from August 1, 2026)