Quitting or Losing a Job in Japan: Notice, Dismissal and Unemployment Benefits (2026)

1

Employment

Keep the reason, end date and employer documents.

2

Daily life

Check health insurance and pension arrangements.

3

Support

Ask Hello Work about your situation and documents.

A visual summary of this guide. Read the relevant sections below for conditions and exceptions.

Short answer: If your contract has no fixed end date, you can quit by telling your employer at least 2 weeks before; you do not need their permission. If your employer wants to dismiss you, it must give 30 days' notice o

Short answer: If your contract has no fixed end date, you can quit by telling your employer at least 2 weeks before; you do not need their permission. If your employer wants to dismiss you, it must give 30 days' notice or pay for the notice shortfall using average wages (30 days if there is no notice). To claim unemployment benefits (基本手当), apply at Hello Work; you generally need 12 months of insured work in the last 2 years.

General information, not legal advice. Residence-status effects are explained in our guide on changing jobs. For disputes, see our guide on where to get help.

Illness or family care can be relevant, but whether a reason is legally unavoidable depends on the circumstances. If your employer agrees, you can leave at any time.

Illness or family care can be relevant, but whether a reason is legally unavoidable depends on the circumstances. If your employer agrees, you can leave at any time.

If your work rules ask for longer notice (for example 1 month), following them is the usual practice, but very long periods may be invalid. The final decision rests with the courts.

• The employer must give at least 30 days' notice, counted in calendar days without the day of notice.

• The employer must give at least 30 days' notice, counted in calendar days without the day of notice.

• If notice is not given, the employer must pay at least 30 days of average wages (予告手当), normally at the time of the dismissal notice.

• Notice pay does not make an unfair dismissal valid. A dismissal lacking objectively reasonable grounds and social acceptability is invalid. Certain short-duration employment and officially approved exceptions can affect notice rules; ask a labour desk rather than assuming every dismissal has the same treatment.

Ask for a written reason and for your 離職票 (separation certificate); you will need it for unemployment benefits.

Information from the Hello Work FAQ of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW).

Information from the Hello Work FAQ of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW).

Who is eligible

• You have left your job, can and want to work, and are actively looking for a job.

• Insured period of 12 months or more in the 2 years before leaving.

• Exception: if you lost the job involuntarily (for example dismissal or the employer's closure), 6 months in the last 1 year can be enough.

• A month counts if you were paid for 11 or more days, or 80 or more hours.

The waiting periods

How to apply

1. Go to the Hello Work office for your home address. Register for job-seeking and hand in your separation certificate (離職票).

2. Your eligibility is checked and decided.

3. The 7-day waiting period passes (and the restriction period, if any).

4. You go to Hello Work about every 4 weeks to have your unemployment confirmed (失業の認定).

5. Payment follows unemployment certification and the applicable waiting/restriction period. Do not budget on a guaranteed first-payment date; ask Hello Work for your personal schedule.

Employment insurance ordinarily requires at least 20 scheduled hours per week and expected employment of at least 31 days. Student and other exclusions also exist.

Important for foreign residents: the rules above require that you can and want to work. Whether you can keep looking for work depends on your residence status. This guide did not verify details for each status. Check with Hello Work and with Immigration (see below).

Checklist after you leave

Can I get benefits if I quit myself? Yes, if eligible, after the waiting period and any applicable restriction. One month is the ordinary voluntary-resignation restriction for departures on or after April 1, 2025; except

Can I get benefits if I quit myself? Yes, if eligible, after the waiting period and any applicable restriction. One month is the ordinary voluntary-resignation restriction for departures on or after April 1, 2025; exceptions, including eligible education/training, can change it.

Is the Hello Work office for foreign residents different? This guide did not verify dedicated services. Ask the local Hello Work office.

• MHLW Hello Work FAQ, unemployment benefits (Japanese): Source: www.hellowork.mhlw.go.jp

• MHLW Hello Work FAQ, unemployment benefits (Japanese): Source: www.hellowork.mhlw.go.jp

• MHLW Q&A on dismissal notice (Japanese): Source: www.check-roudou.mhlw.go.jp

• Miyagi Prefecture labor Q&A on quitting (Japanese): Source: www.pref.miyagi.jp

• MHLW contract termination rules: Source: www.mhlw.go.jp