October Is the Annual Paid Leave Promotion Period: Usage Rate Was 66.9% in 2024 (Reiwa 6), Target Is 70% by 2028 (Reiwa 10)October is the month to make it easier to take paid leave. The current usage rate is about 67%
On September 30, 2026 (Reiwa 8), the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) announced intensive publicity designating October as the Annual Paid Leave Promotion Period. The government aims for a 70% annual paid leave usage rate by 2028 (Reiwa 10). The rate in 2024 (Reiwa 6) was 66.9%, a record high but still short of the target. The planned leave system and hourly paid leave are given as examples to use.
Key points
- Under the Outline of Measures for Preventing Karoshi (death from overwork) (Cabinet decision of August 2, 2024 (Reiwa 6)), the goal is a 70% paid leave usage rate by 2028 (Reiwa 10)
- The usage rate in 2024 (Reiwa 6) was 66.9%, a record high but short of the target
- Under the planned leave system, the days granted other than 5 days can be allocated in advance under a labor-management agreement
- With a labor-management agreement, hourly paid leave can be taken in hours within a limit of 5 days per year
- Leave is granted to all workers who meet the legal requirements, regardless of whether they are regular employees, part-timers, or shift workers
What to do in practice
- If introducing the planned leave system or hourly paid leave, check whether a labor-management agreement is needed and what it must contain
- Review your efforts to make it easier to take leave, in line with your company's situation
People who work for a company have "annual paid leave" (nenji yukyu kyuka): days off that they still get paid for. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has made October a month to make these days off easier to take, and is spreading the word.
Points
- The government's goal is a 70% usage rate by 2028 (Reiwa 10)
- In 2024 (Reiwa 6) it was 66.9%, the highest so far, but still short of the goal
- Besides whole days, you can take leave by the hour, or decide the days together with your company
What the words mean
- Annual paid leave
- A set number of days off that workers can take while still being paid
- Labor-management agreement
- A promise that a company and its workers decide on together
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW): MHLW: October is Annual Paid Leave Promotion Period
This article summarizes and explains materials published by government agencies and is not advice on any individual case. Rules can change, so for actual procedures and decisions always check the latest original materials and consult professionals such as tax accountants or labor and social security attorneys. English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions are translations prepared from the Japanese articles for convenience. If anything differs, the Japanese text and the original source take precedence.