Back to Labor Law & Living Cost Guide

Working Hours & Wage Regulations

Learn about Japan's legal working hours, break times, and various allowance calculations.

Legal Working Hours

Daily Work Hours

8 hours

Overtime pay required beyond 8 hours/day

Weekly Work Hours

40 hours

Overtime pay required beyond 40 hours/week

Break Time Regulations

1

Up to 6 hours

No mandatory break time

2

6-8 hours

Minimum 45 minutes break required

3

Over 8 hours

Minimum 1 hour break required

Overtime Pay

Basic Premium Rate

+25%

When exceeding legal work hours (8h/day, 40h/week), pay 125% of base hourly wage

Calculation Example

Base wage: ¥1,200/h

Overtime wage: ¥1,200 × 1.25 = ¥1,500

Night Shift Allowance

Night Shift Hours

22:00 ~ 05:00

+25%

Working between 10 PM and 5 AM pays 125% of base hourly wage

Important!

If overtime + night shift overlap, pay 150% (25% + 25%)

Ex: Base ¥1,200 → Night overtime ¥1,800

💰 2025 Minimum Wage by Region

Tokyo
¥1,163
/hour
Osaka
¥1,064
/hour
Kyoto
¥1,008
/hour
Fukuoka
¥941
/hour

※ Paying below minimum wage is illegal. Report immediately to Labor Standards Inspection Office.

📚 Official Sources

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/

* Last updated: September 2025