TOKYO: The Diet, Japan’s parliament, on Thursday enacted a bill to introduce a special parental leave system for men for use soon after their children are born.

The bill to revise the child care and family care leave law was approved at a plenary meeting of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet. It cleared the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, in April.

The revised law could come into effect as early as October 2022.

Under the new system, fathers can take up to four weeks of leave within eight weeks after their wives give birth. They will be allowed to take such leave in two batches.

Fathers willing to take the special leave must apply with their employers at least two weeks prior to the desired start of the leave.

During the leave, fathers will receive employment insurance benefits equivalent to 67 pct of their pre-leave wages.

The labor ministry hopes the new system will help promote participation by men in child rearing and support the continued employment of women.

The revised law also requires companies to develop work environments that make it easier for employees to take parental leave, including the leave under the existing system.

It urges companies to conduct related employee training, make consultation services available and ask employees whether they want to take parental leave.

JIJI Press