The rate of men taking child care leave in Japan rose to 50.9% in fiscal 2025, exceeding 50% for the first time, according to a survey by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. <\/p>\n
The government had set a target of having 50% of eligible men take child care leave by fiscal 2025.<\/p>\n
The rate was up 10.4 percentage points from the previous fiscal year, marking the 13th consecutive year of growth, suggesting that child care leave for men is becoming increasingly established in the workplace. <\/p>\n
The concentration of child-rearing responsibilities on women, sometimes described in Japan as “one-operation” child care, is considered a factor contributing to mothers’ isolation and postpartum depression.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The burden has also been cited as a factor that can hinder women’s participation in the workforce, limit their opportunities to increase their income, and discourage them from having children.<\/p>\n
Changes to Workplace Rules<\/p>\n
The government has expanded the requirement for companies to disclose the rate of male employees taking child care leave, from firms with more than 1,000 employees to those with more than 300.<\/p>\n
It has also made it mandatory for employers to individually notify employees of their child care leave options and confirm their intentions when an employee reports a pregnancy or the birth of a child. <\/p>\n
These measures, introduced in recent years, appear to have encouraged more men to take leave.<\/p>\n
At workplaces with five to 29 employees, the rate rose from 25.1% in fiscal 2024 to 42.9% in fiscal 2025. <\/p>\n
The increase at small and midsize companies, where securing replacement workers is generally more difficult than at large firms amid labor shortages, is a positive development.<\/p>\n
Making it easier for employees to take child care leave requires workplaces to establish systems in which duties are not concentrated on particular employees but can be shared among several people. <\/p>\n
Such systems can also help when employees need to take extended leave because of illness or to care for family members.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the rate for women was 88.3%. The government has set a target of raising the rate for men to 85% by 2030. A survey of young people conducted by the ministry found that 83.5% of men said they wanted to take child care leave.<\/p>\n
Gap in Leave Duration<\/p>\n
At the same time, the survey showed a significant difference in the length of leave taken by men and women.<\/p>\n
The most common period of leave among men was one month or more but less than three months, accounting for 30.3%. Among women, the most common period was 12 months or more but less than 18 months, at 31.4%.<\/p>\n
This does not mean that men and women need to take exactly the same amount of leave. However, the figures raise concerns that some men may be taking leave in name only, without actually being able to provide the level of child care their families need.<\/p>\n