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July 12, 2025
 

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PATERNITY LEAVE

Shohei Ohtani and Mamiko Tanaka announced the birth of their first child on April 19.
BASEBALL
Apr 28, 2025
Shohei Ohtani's example could change Japan's views on paternity leave
The Dodgers star went on MLB’s paternity list for the birth of his daughter. MLB is the only major North American sports league that guarantees paternity leave to its players.
Passengers exit trains at Hamamatsucho Station in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Society
Aug 1, 2024
Paternity leave uptake in Japan hits record 30%
The new record represents a 13 percentage point increase from the previous year.
Sweden is known for its generous parental leave system, with parents allowed to share 480 days of leave per child and 90% of fathers taking such time off.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 12, 2024
Swedish-style paternity leave could unleash Japan’s potential
In Sweden, most new fathers take paternity leave, with direct benefits for the economy and families — an approach that holds important lessons for Japan.
Aeon is aiming to encourage male workers to take child care leave. While almost all of its female employees currently take child care leave when they have a child, the rate for male employees is only 15%.
BUSINESS
Feb 2, 2024
Aeon employees to receive 100% of income during child care leave
The retailer aims to gradually roll out the program from March to some 150 group companies.
The government aims to have 50% of new fathers take child care leave by 2025 and 85% by 2030.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 13, 2023
Japan panel proposes child care plan covering 100% of income
The 100% allowance would only be offered for up to 28 days, with the amount for any further leave being around 80% of income.
Paternity leave has not taken root in Japan due to concerns over decreases in income and disruptions to the work side of life.
JAPAN / Society
Sep 24, 2023
Japan local governments working to encourage paternity leave
From Saga to Yamanashi, local officials are trying a variety of policies to give their male employees a chance to better participate in family life.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jun 22, 2023
Japan hopes to inspire more men to take paternity leave
In fiscal 2021, only 13.97% of eligible men took child care leave. The government has raised the target for fiscal 2025 from 30% to 50% and aims to push up the share to 85% by 2030.
JAPAN
Mar 31, 2023
Japan announces outline of 'unprecedented' child care policy
The measures aimed at reversing Japan’s declining birthrate include beefing up child care allowances and expanding scholarships for college education.
JAPAN
Mar 17, 2023
Kishida aims for half of new fathers to take child care leave in 2025
The prime minister also said he will aim to raise the rate to 85% by fiscal 2030, adding that the bold goals are necessary to reverse the declining birthrate.
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Oct 31, 2022
Fukushima firms work to address low rate of fathers taking paternity leave
The reluctance of fathers to use paternity leave is said to be attributable to the absence of working environments where it is seen favorably and the difficulty of securing staff for cover.
BUSINESS
Oct 25, 2022
Insurers offer to protect Japan firms from losses due to parental leave
Companies that meet certain conditions set by the insurers are eligible for compensation related to hiring costs incurred should an employee take childcare leave.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jul 1, 2020
Japan to mull law revision to ensure child support payments
A private panel advising the government is also calling for creating an environment where all new fathers can take paternity leave.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Mar 24, 2020
Japan pushes male public servants to take longer paternity leave
The government will encourage its eligible male personnel to use child-rearing leave for at least a month in principle, starting in fiscal 2020.
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Mar 21, 2020
Family dynamic shifts as schools remain closed nationwide
Japanese dads are coming under scrutiny — again. Ever since Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi officially made ikumen (men who take an active role in child-rearing) fashionable by publicly taking two weeks off for paternity leave, fathers who let their spouses shoulder all the burden of child care...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Commentary
Feb 13, 2020
Can Japan kick-start paternity leave among workaholic dads?
In January, Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi received worldwide attention after surprising the public with his plan to take parental leave shortly before the birth of his first child.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Feb 1, 2020
Shinjiro Koizumi's paternity leave raises a few eyebrows
Shortly before Shinjiro Koizumi’s wife, Christel Takigawa, gave birth to a baby boy last month, the environment minister told reporters during a regular news conference he would be taking time off for paternity leave. It was a revelation that surprised some because after the pair had revealed she was...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Jan 23, 2020
Even on paternity leave, 32% of Japanese moms say dads don't help much with housework
The government has been pushing for fathers to take paternity leave as Japan faces a demographic crisis, yet a new wrinkle has emerged: Almost one-third of mothers report that their partners do little to help out around the house while they're off work.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 22, 2020
Paternity leave controversy: It's time to walk the talk
Leading by example, Koizumi and his colleagues in the government may have a chance to change the mindsets of Japanese men about work and fatherhood.
JAPAN
Jan 17, 2020
It’s a boy! Christel Takigawa, wife of minister Shinjiro Koizumi, gives birth
Christel Takigawa, a freelance TV newscaster and wife of Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, gave birth to a boy early Friday morning.
JAPAN
Jan 15, 2020
Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi challenges Japan's workplace norms with decision to take paternity leave
Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said he will take paternity leave later this month, a rare move in a country where most men do not take the time off.
Tokyo hit by torrential rainfall at rush hour
People line up at Shibuya Station in Tokyo as they try to avoid the heavy rain on Thursday.
Foreign drivers in Japan to face tougher license conversion rules from October
According to the National Police Agency, there were 75,905 people who converted their foreign driver’s license to a Japanese one in 2024, up from 48,885 in 2019.
Chinese fighters came within 30 meters of Japanese spy aircraft, Tokyo says
A Chinese JH-7 fighter jet makes an near an Air Self-Defense Force YS-11EB surveillance aircraft over the East China Sea this week in this image released Thursday.
Air India crash report to offer peek into last seconds
Members of the Indian Army's engineering arm prepare to remove the wreckage of an Air India aircraft in Ahmedabad on June 14.
What Japanese politics could look like after Upper House election
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who heads the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (center) waves to attendees as he departs after delivering a campaign speech in Yokohama on Sunday.
New IG Arena set to dial down temperature at Nagoya Basho, in a good way
With IG Arena getting glowing early reviews as the Nagoya Basho’s replacement venue, it may be a while before fans wax nostalgic about the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
Once a niche, anime is now mainstream content for Netflix and other streaming services
Though Netflix remains the dominant choice globally for anime viewers, Amazon Prime Video has also invested heavily in anime, steadily adding titles to their catalogue.
NGOs condemn rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric ahead of Upper House vote
Sanseito head Sohei Kamiya holds a board that reads "Japanese First" in Tokyo on July 2. In a joint statement on Tuesday, eight human rights nongovernmental organizations described the far-right party's stance as "hate speech."
Japanese dancers find a home abroad at Houston Ballet
“Giselle” lead Yuriko Kajiya (center), performing with Connor Walsh as Albrecht, is one of six Japanese dancers at Houston Ballet.
From the Abes to the Ohtanis: How siblings shape athletic development
Olympic judoka Uta Abe (second from left) and Hifumi Abe (second from right) with their brother Yuichiro (center) and their parents. “I’m always consciously trying to be a good older brother,” Yuichiro said.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
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Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
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