GUIDE · OVERTIME

Overtime rules in Japan (36 Agreement)

Q: What is a 36 Agreement in Japan?

A written agreement between the employer and the employees’ representative, filed with the labor standards office, that is required before employees can legally work overtime or on legal holidays.

Q: What is the overtime limit in Japan?

Normally 45 hours a month and 360 a year. With a special clause, up to 720 a year, with overtime plus holiday work under 100 hours in a month and 80 hours on average over 2–6 months.

Q: What happens if I break the overtime cap?

Employers can face imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to ¥300,000.

残業の上限と36協定Saburoku kyotei

In Japan, no employee may legally work overtime until the employer has signed and filed a “36 Agreement” — and even then, strict caps apply.

PR · This page contains affiliate links. How we earn

Updated October 26, 2026 · Checked against the official site by our editors

Normal cap

45 h

A month, 360 h a year

Absolute

720 h

A year, with special clause

Monthly

<100 h

Overtime + holiday work

Average

80 h

Over any 2–6 months

First: sign and file a 36 Agreement

Overtime beyond the legal working hours (generally 8 hours a day and 40 a week) and work on legal holidays are allowed only after the employer signs an agreement with the employees’ representative and files it with the labor standards office. It is named after Article 36 of the Labor Standards Act.

The caps

Rule	Limit
Normal limit	45 hours a month and 360 hours a year
With a special clause	720 hours a year
Overtime + holiday work	Under 100 hours in any month, and 80 hours on average over any 2–6 months
Going over 45 hours	No more than 6 months a year

Breaking the caps can lead to imprisonment of up to 6 months or a fine of up to ¥300,000. Some jobs, such as new technology R&D, have different rules.

Overtime pay and records

Pay the legal premium for overtime, late-night and holiday work
Record working hours objectively — see Attendance and payroll
Write overtime rules into contracts and work rules — see Employment contracts

FAQ

What is a 36 Agreement in Japan?

A written agreement between the employer and the employees’ representative, filed with the labor standards office, that is required before employees can legally work overtime or on legal holidays.

What is the overtime limit in Japan?

Normally 45 hours a month and 360 a year. With a special clause, up to 720 a year, with overtime plus holiday work under 100 hours in a month and 80 hours on average over 2–6 months.

What happens if I break the overtime cap?

Employers can face imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to ¥300,000.

Sources

This page is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. The official Japanese guidelines always take priority.

NEED HELP IN ENGLISH?

Talk to an English-speaking expert

Sharoshi who prepare 36 Agreements and work rules for foreign employers — in English.

See experts →

PR · Paid listings

USEFUL TOOLS

Kintai Cloud — attendance tracking for small businesses ↗Japanese-language service

PR · Affiliate links