PROGRAM · GRANT · FAMILY
Childcare leave grants
両立支援等助成金For fathers’ leave and smooth returns to work
Supporting staff through childcare leave can earn your business a grant — especially as a small employer.
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Father’s leave
¥200K
First person; ¥300K with 4+ measures
Leave start
¥300K
With a return-to-work plan
Return
¥300K
After returning to work
For
SMEs
Small and medium employers
The two main courses
| Course | When | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Father’s leave after birth出生時両立支援コース | A male employee starts childcare leave within 8 weeks of the birth, after you set up a supportive workplace | ¥200,000 for the first person (¥300,000 with 4+ workplace measures); ¥100,000 each for the 2nd and 3rd |
| Leave and return support育児休業等支援コース | You make a return-to-work plan with the employee and support their leave and return | ¥300,000 when leave starts and ¥300,000 on return; +¥20,000 for publishing leave data |
Amounts from the 2026 application guide. Each course has its own conditions and strict application windows.
Watch the deadlines
- Leave and return support: apply within 2 months after 3 months of leave have passed (leave start), and within 2 months after 6 months back at work (return)
- Set up your leave rules and workplace measures before the leave starts
- Your company must be enrolled in employment insurance
FAQ
Is there a grant when a male employee takes paternity leave in Japan?
Yes. Small employers can get ¥200,000 for the first employee (¥300,000 with four or more workplace measures) when a father starts childcare leave within eight weeks of the birth.
How much is the childcare leave support grant?
Under the leave and return support course, ¥300,000 when the leave starts and ¥300,000 after the return, with a ¥20,000 add-on for publishing leave data.
Can foreign-owned companies use these grants?
Yes. What matters is that the employer meets the conditions, including employment insurance, not the owner’s nationality.
Sources
- Work–family support grants — 2026 application guide — Yamaguchi Labour Bureau
- Father’s leave course (出生時両立支援コース) — Tokyo Labour Bureau
- Leave and return support course (育児休業等支援コース) — Tokyo Labour Bureau
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 set up leave rules and family-support grants for foreign employers — in English.
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USEFUL TOOLS
- Kintai Cloud — attendance tracking for small businesses ↗Japanese-language service
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